Just One Look
by donna79
Summary: Life is full of choices. And sometimes when you least expect it, it throws you a curveball. And if you make the right decision, you could change your life forever.
1. Nothing Will Ever be the Same Again

**Story Title: Just One Look**

**Summary: ****Life is full of choices. And sometimes when you least expect it, it throws you a curveball. And if you make the right decision, you could change your life forever.**

**Pairing: Paul/Bella**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I just wish I did.**

**AN: I have had this on my computer for a year and half and a voice inside my head kept saying 'publish it'. It sounded like Gollum from the Lord of the Ring movies. I don't know about the rest of you, but I find him to be creepy and disturbing. So I am posting this just to get the voice out of my head.**

Bella Swan did not like being strung along; she didn't like being lied to either. Her best friend was doing both of those things and it drove her insane with worry. She had been told to stay away from him until he came to her. She was tired of waiting. She sat outside his house until she saw him come out before getting out of the truck. She pulled her jacket closed to ward off the chill and to keep herself partially dry.

"Jacob!" she called after him.

He kept going but shook his head to let her know to leave him alone. She wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Jacob, wait!" she said as she ran through the yard.

He stopped but didn't turn around. She watched as he clenched his fist in aggravation, his shoulders tense as she walked up to him.

"You cut your hair, and got a tattoo?" she said as her hand encircled his arm.

"Let go Bella," he said quietly.

"I want some answers, because you are not sick," she said through clenched teeth.

"I can't," he said shaking his head.

"You won't tell me. Get it right," she said as she shoved her hair out of her face roughly.

"I can't tell you. I wish that I could," he said in a grief stricken voice.

"You know that I won't tell anyone else."

"Just like you've kept the Cullen's secret, right?" he asked bitterly.

"What do they have to do with this?"

"Everything!" he yelled.

"Jacob!" Someone yelled from the trees.

Bella stepped to the side to see four people standing on the border of his property line.

"Is that Sam?" she asked, squinting to see through the rain.

"I don't want you coming back here. Something bad could happen."

"I'll take my chances," she said defiantly.

"You are so stubborn," he mumbled.

"So are you," she countered.

"I have to go. Leave now if you know what's good for you," he said pulling his arm from her grasp.

She watched him run to his friends frozen where she was. The four turned to walk into the woods before he got to them. She waited until he was out of sight before turning to go back to her truck. She cranked the heat to warm herself and she took off her soaking wet jacket to realize that she was soaked through. Maybe she could borrow something of Jacob's. Billy's truck was in the yard. Even if he didn't want her there he wouldn't want her to catch pneumonia. She got back out of the truck and trudged through the mud to the front door.

Billy opened the door, taking in her disheveled appearance.

"I was wondering if I could borrow some of Jacob's clothes. I'll give them back to you when you come over again."

"Come on in," he said as he pushed himself out of the way.

He told her to wait in the bathroom and she dried herself off with the towel that hung on the rack. She reached her arm out when Billy knocked on the door. She found Billy reading the paper in the living room a few minutes later.

"Do you know when he'll be back?"

"Not until late tonight," he said not looking up from the paper.

"Thank you for letting me in."

"I'm not heartless Bells, neither is Jacob. He's going through a lot right now. You shouldn't put so much pressure on him."

"I wouldn't if he returned my calls every once in a while."

"He's busy," he said sitting down the newspaper.

"No, he's avoiding me. He asked me never to come over here again."

"Maybe you should listen to him."

"He needs a friend. Even I can see that."

"He has friends."

"Sam? Sam is not his friend. Jake couldn't even stand him the last time I saw him."

"They're friends now. That's what matters."

"So you're telling me that I am banned from seeing him?"

"For now," he said gently.

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head for emphasis.

She walked out the door before he could say anything else. She ran to her truck, holding up the sweatpants that Billy had loaned her. They were three sizes too big and they would fall off if she didn't hold them up. Once she got home she nearly collided with her dad. He took in her clothes and his met hers with raised eyebrows.

"Do you have a new boyfriend?"

"No, Dad, these are Jake's."

"You went over there? After Jake, Billy, and I asked you not to?"

"I'm sorry, but I had to see him."

"Where are your clothes?"

She held up a plastic bag and her soaking wet clothes could be seen through the bag.

"I'm setting traps on the reservation with Harry. I want you to stay here."

"Aww Dad!" she said with a sigh.

"I mean it Bella, I won't be gone long. If I come home and you aren't here you're grounded."

"Fine," she said with a nod.

She waited an extra ten minutes after they left before going to get everything she needed. She had gone over to Jacob's not only for answers but to ask him to help her find the meadow one last time. She knew for sure the way to go and she had wanted him with her when she found it. That was out of the question now.

She was pulling the truck off the side of the road, and pulling her rain jacket hood over her head half an hour later. She grabbed her backpack and made sure that the map was in it. She took the map out before getting out of the truck. She shouldered the pack before starting off up the incline into the woods.

After a few tries and nearly falling three times she stumbled into the meadow. It was nothing like what she remembered. The flowers were replaced with dead grass. If she hadn't burned the place into her memory she would think that it wasn't the meadow she was looking for. It was just as well; hardly anything that she shared with Edward was the same. She needed to face reality and admit that he was never coming back. He had chosen his family over her and there was nothing that she could do about it.

She heard a twig snap behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see someone who made her eyes widen in surprise.

"Hello," The person said with a kind smile.

Sam had everyone wait at the top of the incline just above Bella and the guy with dreads. It was obvious that Bella knew him. Even if he was a vampire, they wouldn't do anything unless he tried to hurt her. All five of them looked down at the two of them with scrutiny. Paul got a good look at Bella when she turned to face the guy. The wind was knocked out of him and his hair stood on end as everything around him tilted on its axis. He shook his head trying to clear it, but no amount of shaking could make the feeling go away.

Laurent moved closer to Bella as she tried to turn away from him.

_Now!_ Sam thought before taking off down the incline.

Bella stood frozen where she was as she watched in terror as five gigantic wolves came towards her. Laurent stood a few feet away with the same expression that she had. Four of the wolves passed her to get to him. The russet colored wolf stopped in front of her. He was close enough to touch and Bella saw her reflection in his eyes.

The black wolf sailed past them once Laurent had shoved him out of the way.

_Jacob, we need you!_ Embry's voice came through his thoughts.

The russet and black wolves took off after the other three leaving Bella alone. It took her a few minutes before she was able pull herself together and run back to the truck. She got lost a dozen times before she found her way back to the truck.

Her dad's truck was in the driveway when she pulled up. She sighed, knowing that he wouldn't think twice about grounding her. She just hoped that she would be able to tell him what she had just seen first. She came through the front door to see him standing in the foyer.

"Before you say anything I have to tell you something."

"What?" he questioned, giving her a pointed look.

"I saw something in the woods. It's not a bear Dad, its wolves. Five humongous wolves, each of them stood as tall as a horse."

"What in God's name were you doing in the woods? I told you to stay out of them."

"I was looking for something."

"You're not grounded, you're on lock down."

"Fine," she agreed with a nod.

"Are you sure Bells?" Harry asked.

"I'm positive."

"Not that I doubt you, it's just that you seem hysterical. Maybe you just thought you saw them."

"One of them was close enough for me to touch it and another went sailing past me. I know what I saw."

"Harry, get some guys together. We need to go and see if we can find them."

"Sure," he said quietly.

XXXX

Paul wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew where to go to get answers. Sam wouldn't be in the mood to have company since Harry had given him a verbal lashing when he got back from helping Charlie but Paul was willing to take the risk. He stood on Sam's porch waiting for someone to let him in. Emily opened the door with a sigh.

"Now isn't a good time."

"I really need to talk to him. It's important."

She looked over her shoulder for a few seconds before letting him in.

"He's in our room."

"Thank you," he said before walking up the stairs.

"You're welcome," she said before going back to what she was doing.

Paul made his way up the stairs slowly, not knowing how Sam would react to his intruding on his space. He knocked on the door lightly when he saw that there wasn't any light coming from under the door.

"Emily, I asked you not to bother me."

"It's me."

"Go away," Sam said darkly.

"I need to talk to you."

"Not now," he said with a growl.

"Fine, I'll go to Harry and ask him what it feels like to imprint on someone."

The door opened before he could turn to walk away. Sam gave him an unsure look before coming into the hall.

"When did it happen?" Sam asked skeptically.

"This afternoon," Paul confirmed.

"Who is she?"

"I don't know her name," he said with a shake of his head.

"You did talk to her, didn't you?"

"How was I supposed to do that? Bark at her?" Paul asked in confusion.

"You think you've imprinted on Bella?" Sam asked, giving him a grave look.

"That's who she is?" Paul asked with wide eyes.

"Explain to me what you felt when you saw her."

"Everything else fell away, all I saw was her. It was like…"

"The world tilted on its axis," Sam said finishing his sentence.

"Yeah," he said breathlessly.

"You've imprinted on Bella, congratulations," Sam said with a kind smile.

"The kid isn't going to go for this."

"Let me handle Jake. Don't go and see her until I tell you to. Technically, she doesn't know who you are. How come you didn't imprint on her at Jake's?"

"I didn't see her then. I was looking somewhere else until Jared said, 'Hey man, check her out.' Jacob had pulled her in front of him again before I could look at her."

"She's been through a lot in the past several months. So I am only going to say this once, do not pressure her into anything," Sam warned.

"What could she have been through that was so bad?" Paul asked with a scoff.

"Her boyfriend broke up with her then left her in the woods."

"She's the girl you found? That's how you know her?" he asked once he found his voice.

"Yes," Sam confirmed solemnly.

"What else?"

"Billy says that Jake is the only person that has been able to get through to her. Today was the first time he has seen her since he changed. You saw how upset he was."

"They're friends, I can handle that."

"Here's what you won't be able to handle. Her ex is a vampire."

"What?" he asked with a cold stare.

"She dated one of the Cullen's."

"Does she know what they are?"

"Yeah, she's keeping their secret for them."

"Were they serious?"

"I don't know how serious they were. Billy said that she shut herself off from the world after he left. Like I said, Jacob has been the only person other than her dad that she has let in."

Paul left a few minutes later. He had yet to talk to Bella and already he didn't understand her. Why would she choose to be with someone who could potentially hurt her? It wasn't like he couldn't either, but at least he would never thirst for her blood. He had only looked at her once, for less than a minute and already he wanted to see her again. He would follow Sam's order and stay away from her. He didn't know how long he could keep himself away from her without trying to find her again.


	2. Bound By Honor

**Disclaimer:**

**Paul: Donna does not own Twilight. I will never belong to her. And she is a very nice person.**

**Me: Here's the twenty bucks for saying that.**

Bella heard something hit her window as she was getting ready for bed. She looked out the window to see Jacob looking up at her. She opened the window and stepped back as he scaled the tree before climbing in. She watched him with wide eyes as he crossed the short distance to stand in front of her. He moved to pull her to him and she stopped him.

"You've got some explaining to do," she said sternly.

"I told you, I can't," he said as he shook his head.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you. I miss you."

"I miss you too, but that doesn't mean that I am not mad at you."

"You have every right to be mad at me. I have been the worst kind of friend to you."

"Yeah, you have," she said folding her arms over her chest.

He sat on the bed with his elbows resting on his knees. She sat next to him, draping an arm over his shoulders.

"You know that you can tell me anything. I won't pass judgment on you. So you've joined the hall monitors on steroids?"

"Yes," he said, cracking a smile.

"How did that happen?"

"I realized that Sam wasn't as bad as I thought."

"And what about the rest of them?" she asked quizzically.

"I'm still getting used to them," he answered somberly.

"At least you're friends with Embry again."

"That is the high point to the situation," he agreed.

"So was getting the tattoo an initiation thing?"

"Yes."

"I bet your dad flipped out," she reasoned with a light laugh.

"No, he's pretty happy about it," he disagreed with a proud smile.

"Your dad is happy that you got a tattoo? Are we talking about the same guy? He flipped out when Rachel mentioned that she was thinking of getting one."

"I guess he's used to it now. There is something that I need to talk to you about."

"So talk."

"I may be bound by a gag order but I can give you clues as to what is going on."

"You mean I get to join Mystery Inc.? I'll be Daphne if you're Fred," she teased.

"You're such a smart ass," he said shaking his head.

"Seriously, tell me."

"Do you remember that day that you ran into me on First Beach?"

"Yes."

"I told you stories about my tribe. Do you remember any of them?"

"I remember the story about the cold ones."

"I can see how that would be the one that you would remember," he said bitterly.

"You put the seed that Edward was a vampire into my head. And I was right."

"Do you remember anything else?" he asked with a sigh.

"Not off the top of my head," she said with a shake of her head.

He stood then pulled her up to stand with him. She let him pull her to him before wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his around her waist with a sigh.

"Try to remember okay?"

She nodded as she looked up at him.

"When you figure it out, you know where to find me," he said before kissing her forehead.

He stepped away when he heard Charlie walking around in his room.

"I'll see you later."

"Wait," she said reaching out to him.

"I've gotta go," he said climbing out the window.

Charlie knocked on her door a few seconds later. She quickly shut the window before opening her door.

"It's a little late for you to be up. It's a school night," he admonished.

"I'm going to bed now," she promised.

"Did I hear you talking to someone in here?"

"I was on the phone."

"I thought I heard another voice in here."

"I had it on speaker phone."

"You used your phone after I told you that you couldn't use it?" he asked giving her a hard look.

"Here," she said walking to her nightstand and picking her phone up, she handed it to him a few seconds later.

"It sounded like you were talking to Jake."

"I was."

"Well, I guess I can't deny you that," he said handing her back the phone.

"Why are you giving it back to me?"

"Jacob is the only person that you are allowed to talk to. I'll be checking your phone every night, and the phone bill when it comes in to make sure."

"Yes sir," she said with a nod.

"Go to bed," he said sternly before walking back to his room.

She got into bed and tossed and turned the entire night thinking about what Jacob could have meant. She was beyond tired when she had to get ready for school the next day. She would keep her promise and wouldn't go and see Jacob until she had figured out what he had been trying to tell her.

XXXX

Bella was at work that afternoon when Mike let out a heavy sigh. She looked over at him to see him staring out the front window.

"What's with you?" she asked.

"There's a guy who keeps walking by here. He's walked past here three times in the past half an hour. He'll stare in here like he's going to come in for a few minutes and then he'll walk away."

"You should go out and talk to him the next time you see him. Ask him what his problem is."

"I'm not the one he's staring at," Mike said shaking his head.

"Are you telling me that this guy is watching me?"

"That's exactly what I am saying. There he is again. Do you know him?"

She looked up from her homework to see a tall, dark haired guy staring straight at her. He didn't look away as she gave him a curious look.

"No, I've never seen him before."

"He looks like he could be friends with that guy you brought to the movies."

"Jake? Maybe he is."

"He's starting to weird me out," Mike mumbled.

"Do you think that I should go out there and talk to him?"

"I wouldn't. He could be a sociopathic killer."

"You're right," she said still watching the guy.

Embry found Paul standing outside the sporting goods store when he came out of the diner with Jared. He told Jared to stay where he was before crossing the street.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah," Paul said with a nod.

Embry looked into the store to see what Paul was looking at. He saw Bella behind the counter and waved before walking away.

"Do you know that guy?"

"That's Embry; he is a friend of Jake's. I guess the other guy is somebody that I haven't had a chance to meet yet."

"Well he obviously knows who you are."

"Maybe he saw a picture of me at Jake's," she reasoned.

"I'd stay away from him if I were you. He looks creepy."

"You said the same thing about Edward, and he wasn't creepy at all."

"No, he just abandoned you."

"Can we not talk about him anymore? I need to get this done," she said as she pointed to her homework.

Mike nodded as he went back to his own homework. Bella tried to concentrate on the math problem that she was trying to solve but her thoughts were still on the guy at the window. He was cute, but the way that he was staring at her had unnerved her. She didn't know what had come over her when she decided to stare right back. That wasn't the kind of person she was. She should have gone out there and said something to him. She would just have to try and find him when she went to Jacob's again.

XXXX

Bella was in the forest again. It was dark and raining, just like the day Edward had left. She was chasing him through the woods. Every time that she thought that she had caught up with him he would turn another corner and would be gone.

She turned one corner and came to a skidding halt. In front of her stood the black wolf, staring down at her with eyes that were so yellow that they looked like they were glowing. The others ran in the direction that she had seen Edward last. The wolf nudged his head the way she had just come from in a way of asking her to turn around and go home. She heard a lonely howl in the distance followed by feet pounding against the forest floor. She turned, but was frozen in place. She looked over her shoulder to see the other four wolves form a line behind the black one. She looked at each of them, stopping at the russet one; she turned to walk towards him but stopped. The grey one on the end caught her attention and she walked towards him.

The russet wolf snarled and showed his teeth as she rubbed the grey wolves head.

"Don't get jealous, I'll come to you next. He needs this more than you do," she said, not looking away from the wolf in front of her.

He leaned into the touch, his nose grazing her cheek.

"You're not so bad, are you?"

His head dipped and he rested his chin on her shoulder. She pulled away to look into his eyes. She smiled when she saw his scared brown eyes met hers. She walked to the russet wolf and he whined as she scratched behind his ears.

"No one is going to hurt you, I won't let them," she said before cupping his head in her hands.

He licked her hand gently and she smiled. The black wolf made a noise to get their attention and he motioned again for Bella to go home. She stepped away from the wolves and watched as they veered off towards the ocean. The grey wolf looked over his shoulder just before fading out of sight. His eyes met hers and she waved with a smile. She thought that she saw him smile back before turning to catch up with the rest of the pack.

She sat up in bed gasping for breath. She looked around the room and noticed that the window was open. Had she opened it last night? She didn't remember. She walked across the room to close it seeing footprints in the mud underneath her window. She looked down to her floor, seeing muddy footprints leading to her bed. Whoever had been in her room had huge feet, but at least they were human.

She quietly opened her door and tiptoed to the bathroom. She got a wet washrag and scrubbed the footprints from the floor. By the time she was done it was almost sunrise. She went downstairs to start a pot of coffee for her dad then made herself a bowl of cereal. Her dad came down half an hour later.

"You're up early for a Saturday. Do you have to work this morning?"

"No. I was hoping to talk to you about letting me go to see Jake today."

"I don't have a problem with that. I'll come by after work, and we'll have dinner there."

"That sounds good," she said with a nod.

"It's a little too early to go over there right now."

"I was going to wait a couple hours. I'll clean up around here and maybe get some laundry done."

Charlie nodded as he made himself a cup of coffee. He was gone half an hour later. Bella had the house cleaned and the laundry done by nine. She hoped that at least Billy would be up. She pulled up to their house just before ten. She waited on the porch until Billy cracked the door open.

"I need to talk to Jake."

"He's not here."

"I know that he's here," she said as she brushed past him.

"Bella, don't go back there." Billy warned.

Jacob was sprawled across his bed, snoring like a buzz saw when she walked into the room. She saw movement outside and leaned down to look out the window. Sam, Embry, and two guys that she couldn't see very well were walking through the yard. She was out the front door again within seconds.

"Bella, you shouldn't be here," Billy said as she walked down the stairs.

"I am worried about him. I don't see why you aren't," she said over her shoulder.

She met Sam in the middle of the yard with the other three standing a few feet behind him.

"What did you do to him?" she accused.

"You think any of us wanted this?" A voice that she didn't know asked.

"Paul, stay out of this," Sam warned.

She looked over Sam's shoulder to see the guy from the store. He gave her an icy glare as she stepped up to him.

"I didn't say that any of you wanted this. But a month and a half ago Jake wanted nothing to do with any of you."

"Bella, you should go," Sam said.

"No, I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers."

"Bella I think that you should listen to Sam," Embry said trying to get in between her and Paul.

"I don't need you to defend me," she said pushing him out of the way gently.

"You want answers little girl? You can't handle this," Paul said with a sneer.

She gave him a pointed look before rearing her hand back. Her hand connected with his cheek with a crack. He stared at her with rage as he started to shake.

"Bella, get back," Sam warned.

"It's too late now," The other guy said.

"No!" Jacob yelled from the porch.

She turned half way around to see him running through the yard.

"Jacob, don't!" Embry yelled.

Jacob jumped into the air inches from where Bella stood. His clothes ripped off of him as he phased. Bella stared in shock as Paul phased a few seconds later. Embry pulled Bella out of the way and kept his arms around her to keep her from getting in the way. Jacob and Paul rolled through the yard and crashed into Billy's row boat. They rolled into the woods a few seconds later.

"The two of you take her to Emily's. I'm going to break them up."

"Come on," Embry said leading her to the truck.

The other guy jumped in the back as Embry held the passenger door open for Bella. He jogged around the front as Sam entered the woods.

"Thank you," Bella said once Embry was in the truck.

"You're welcome," he said with a smile.

"Who's he?" she asked jerking her head to the back.

"That's Jared. You don't need to worry about him. He's harmless," he said as he started the truck.

The ride took less than two minutes and once they got out the boys let out a loud whooping yell that made Bella look at each of them like they were crazy.

"That's to let Emily know that we brought somebody else with us," Embry explained.

"Me?"

"Exactly," Jared said as he walked up the stairs.

"Before we go in, I want to warn you. Don't stare at Emily, it bothers Sam."

"Why would I stare?"

"Embry, bring her in," A female voice called from inside the house.

He motioned with his head for her to follow him as he walked up the stairs. She stopped on the porch trying to gather her bearings. Jacob was the russet wolf and Paul was the grey wolf. Why had she singled Paul out first in her dream? She didn't understand it.

"Are you gonna come in or not?" Jared called.

"Leave her alone. She's probably traumatized," Emily admonished.

"I'm not," Bella said from the door.

"Who's this?" Emily asked with a smile.

"Bella Swan," Embry said as he gave Bella a small smile.

"So you're the vampire girl?"

"Not anymore. So you're the wolf girl?"

"Looks like it; I'm engaged to one anyway."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you, would you like a muffin?" she asked reaching in between the boys to grab the basket of muffins.

"Sure," Bella said before taking one.

She picked at it absentmindedly hearing voices on the porch. Sam and Paul came in and Sam went to Emily and kissed her before running his fingers over her scars sadly. She leaned into his touch with a smile. Paul came to stand next to Bella, making her look over at him.

"I'm sorry," he said, flashing her dashing smile.

She nodded, giving him a nervous smile before seeing Jacob at the door. He jerked his head as a way of asking her to follow him. They walked along the beach in silence until they came to their piece of driftwood.

"How did you figure it out?"

"I had a dream."

"It wasn't a nightmare?"

"No," she said shaking her head.

"So what happened in the dream?"

"I was in the woods, chasing after Edward the day that he left. The five of you showed up in wolf form and the black wolf motioned for me to go home. Which one is he?" she questioned.

"Sam, did you listen?"

"I started to. The four of you came back and something made me stop," she explained.

"What?"

"I was pulled towards Paul. I don't know how to explain it. I talked to him like he was human. You got jealous, so I went to you too."

"So you put the five us together by seeing us once and then dreaming about us?"

"Yes," she said, feeling a blush creep up her neck under his penetrating gaze.

"I always knew you were smart. Paul is not a good guy; you should stay away from him," he warned.

"I got that impression this morning," she said shakily.

"He didn't hurt you before I came out did he?"

"No, did you hear us or did your dad wake you up?"

"I heard you. Since you know, I guess there's nothing stopping me from telling you," he said with a sigh.

She was quiet as he unloaded everything on her. She stared at him with wide eyes. They were the ones causing all the trouble in the woods. They were the ones killing people.

"I am more worried about you now than I was before," she confessed.

"Why? I can't die," he said with a laugh.

"You are killing innocent people Jake," she accused.

He shook his head as a look of anger spread across his face. He took a few deep breaths before lifting his head to look at her again.

"We aren't the ones killing humans Bella. We are killing the one thing that we are trained to kill, vampires," he said through clenched teeth.

"You killed Laurent?" she asked with concern.

"Yep, and we're gonna kill his red headed girlfriend too. I just wish that I knew why she keeps coming back," he said, his anger vanishing instantly.

"Victoria has been here?" she asked with wide eyes.

"What do you know about her?" he asked, turning to face her.

"I know what she wants. She wants me."

"I should have known. I'm taking you home," he said sternly before standing.

He picked her up and carried her the entire way to Emily's. He set her in the passenger seat and told her to wait while he went inside. He was on the phone when he came back out. He told the person to meet him at her house with the rest of the pack. When they got to her house Charlie was getting out of his cruiser.

"Hey stranger," he said to Jacob.

"Charlie," he said with a nod.

"I was gonna change and then come down to your house."

"There's been a change of plan. My dad isn't feeling well."

"Do you need a ride home?"

Sam's jeep pulled up in the driveway and the four of them got out.

"I have one. Is it alright if we take a look around your yard? Bella said that she saw something this morning. We just want to make sure that it hasn't come back," he explained.

"Do you need any help?"

"It would be best if you stayed inside with Bella Chief Swan, just in case it tries to come in the house," Sam said.

"Good point. Come on Bells, thank you boys for looking out for her."

"You're welcome Sir," Paul said with a nod.

They waited until Charlie and Bella went inside before Jared looked at Paul. He made a sound like a whip, cracking the imaginary whip for emphasize.

"Shut up," Paul said rolling his eyes.

"Leave him alone, Jared. Paul, you stay out front. Embry, you check the right side of the house. Jared, you check the left side. I'll check the back yard while Jake checks the woods," Sam said before walking around the side of the house.

The group split up and Paul checked the front yard for any smell of Victoria. When he had checked the entire yard he sat on the front porch. The front door opened and Bella stuck her head out.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked.

"She hasn't been out here. You can come out," he said, not turning to face her.

She closed the door quietly before sitting next to him. She was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off of him. She pulled off her sweatshirt and set it on the porch behind her.

"Why did you come by my work yesterday?"

"Embry pointed you out. I wanted to see you," he said with a shrug.

"You couldn't come in?"

"You couldn't come out?" he asked flippantly.

"I was working, I have an excuse," she said in defense.

"I wanted to see the girl that Jake, Billy, and Embry talk so much about," he said nonchalantly.

"You could have come in and introduced yourself," she stated.

"I didn't want to," he said with a scoff.

"Whatever. I wanted to apologize for slapping you."

"I shouldn't have provoked you," he said quietly.

"I'll know not to do it again."

"You could have gotten yourself hurt."

"But I didn't, it's like I said, I'll know not to do it again."

"You aren't scared of me?"

"Should I be?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes," he said with a laugh.

"Well I'm not. I've dealt with scary situations than that," she said bravely.

"Like what?"

"Things that you don't need to know about," she said with a sigh.

"I'm not the first person who has tried to kill you, is that what you're saying?" he asked in an even tone.

"That's exactly what I am saying," she said in a quiet voice.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was looking out across the yard, worry lines etched across her forehead. He wanted to know more, but he didn't want to come across as nosy or scare her, or piss her off again. He would bide his time and let her keep things to herself for now.

"Paul?" Sam called from the side of the house.

He sighed as he put his hands on his knees. Bella looked over at him, giving him a curious look. He met her gaze, giving her one of his own.

"You should go," she said quietly.

He stood reluctantly and made his way around the side of the house.

"You are very stubborn. I asked you not to go and see her and you did it anyway," Sam said scornfully.

"I'm sorry. I had to," Paul explained.

"Don't apologize, I understand. But, until you can listen you will not be put on watch."

"What?" he asked as his face fell.

"Jared found some dried up footprints underneath her window. I know that you've been here before today."

"Just once," he admitted.

"You shouldn't have come here at all. What if she had seen you?"

"She didn't," Paul said as he shook his head.

"I can't take that chance."

"She knows that I didn't mean for what happened this morning to happen."

"I know that you are remorseful for that. You don't need to explain. But that isn't going to make Jacob forgive you. He still wants to kill you."

"I can handle him," he said confidently.

"I know that you can."

"When can I tell her?"

"When the time is right, you haven't proven that you're ready yet."

"Whatever I need to do, I'll do it. You know that."

"I know you will. It's good to see you thinking about someone other than yourself for once. I can say that about you."

"Where are the others?"

"I had them run a patrol up into the mountains. I waited until I was sure that they were far enough away that they wouldn't hear before I called you," he assured.

"What now?"

"We go home. I'll explain everything that we found on the way."

The two of them walked to the Jeep quietly. Paul looked at the house as Sam pulled away. Bella had gone inside, but that didn't mean that he wasn't thinking about her. She seemed like she was normal, but like him she had a past that was filled with grief and pain. He was going to make sure that she never went through anything like that again.


	3. Public Enemy Number One

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**AN: I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who are reading this story. You cannot know how critical I am of this story and the fact that you all like it is amazing. It makes me wish that I could hug each and every one of you!**

Paul had obeyed Sam's orders for three weeks before Sam told him that he could see Bella again. He could tell her if he chose to, but he wasn't ready for that yet. He wanted to fill the pack in before he told her. He knew that Jacob would blow a gasket, but she was worth it.

He planned on telling them at the next pack meeting. He walked to Sam's with Jared. Jared had recently imprinted on a girl that he went to school with. Things were still new, and he was worried about telling her the whole truth. As of right now, Jared hadn't told her anything. Kim was quiet and shy and Jared was scared that she would get scared and never speak to him again.

All five of them gathered around Sam's kitchen table while Sam went over what he had found out about Victoria from Bella. He looked at Paul before putting his hands on the table.

"Before we draw this meeting to a close Jared and Paul have something that they want to say."

"You can go first," Paul said.

"I imprinted a few days ago," Jared said with a wide smile.

"Who's the girl?" Embry asked.

"Kim Raven."

"Isn't she the girl who writes for the school paper?" Embry asked.

"That's her."

"Congratulations Jared. Paul?"

"I've imprinted too."

""Who's the unlucky girl?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob," Sam warned.

"Who is it man?" Jared asked.

"Bella Swan."

"What?" Jacob yelled.

"Jake, calm down," Embry said.

"No fucking way. You aren't going near her ever again," Jacob seethed.

"Jacob, that isn't up to you to decide. That is up to Bella," Sam said calmly.

"What's your problem?" Paul asked.

"You're my problem! Did you imprint on her before or after you tried to attack her?"

"That doesn't matter Jacob," Sam answered peacefully

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Paul said remorsefully.

"Jacob, it could have been a lot worse. Thankfully you came when you did and Embry was able to save her," Sam said.

"He can't be trusted!" Jacob countered.

"He has paid his penance for what he did. I do not want you holding it over his head."

"I am going to hold it against him until the day that I die. You will never see her again. Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Jacob, do not interfere in this," Sam warned.

"Is that an order?" Jacob asked in a pained voice.

"Yes, it is."

Jacob rose from his chair and stalked towards the door. He was out the door before anyone could blink. Embry stood and quickly went after him. He didn't see him, but his clothes lay in a pile with his shoes on top along the tree line. He quickly phased and called for Jacob.

_Get out of my head._ Jacob thought.

_You cannot be alone right now._

_Actually I can._

_What are you going to do?_

_I'm going to talk to Charlie in the morning._

_Sam told you not to interfere._

_Don't you dare tell him!_

_I have to._

_Some friend you are._

Paul stood on the porch as Embry came out of the woods.

"Treat her right; because if you don't, you won't just have him after you, you'll have me after you too. Did anybody tell you that her dad is the Chief of Police?"

"No," Paul said in concern.

"Now you know. Don't screw it up," Embry countered.

"I'll try not to."

Embry nodded before walking through the yard. Paul knew that he had to prove himself not only to Bella but to everyone else. So much was riding on the outcome of his talking to her. If she turned him down he didn't know what he would do. No one had ever turned him down before.

XXXX

Bella was washing the outside windows of the store when she felt someone watching her. She turned to her right and saw no one there. She looked to her left and saw Paul a few feet away leaning against the building next door.

"Why do you like watching me so much?"

"Does it bother you?" he challenged.

"No. It just makes me think of someone else," she said sadly.

"His name was Edward, right?"

"What you know about him?" she asked, turning to face him.

"More than you think," he admitted.

"Did Jacob tell you?"

"Hell no, I can't even look at him without wanting to hit him," he said in disdain.

"He's not a bad guy. You should give him a chance."

"You should tell him that," he muttered.

"Is something going on between you two?"

"He thinks that he can throw his weight around. He doesn't like it when people don't fall in line."

"I already know that. Who told you about Edward?"

"Sam."

Bella nodded as she gathered the cleaning supplies. She looked over at him once more through squinted eyes.

"You can come inside. I'm the only person here," she said before opening the door.

He sat on the stairs leaning against the railing as she scrubbed the windows.

"Why did you come here?" she asked.

"I wanted to ask you something; before I do I want you to know that whatever Jacob has told is not true."

"It isn't?"

"If you want to know anything about me all you have to do is say so."

"So what you're saying is that Jacob knows nothing about you?"

"He doesn't know a damn thing about me. Talk to Sam and Emily if you're too scared to ask me."

"I don't scare easily. Are you going to ask me your question or not?"

"Will you go out on a date with me?"

She set the bottle of window cleaner and the paper towels on the window sill before coming to sit next to him.

"I made the mistake of jumping into a relationship with my last boyfriend without knowing anything about him. I knew that I loved him before we went out on our first date. When he left I told myself that I wouldn't let that happen again, that I would think things through and get to know everything about the person before I went out on a date with them," she explained.

"I can understand that," he said with a nod.

"I'm not saying no. I'm saying that you have to prove yourself to me."

"I can do that. What do you want to know first?"

"I don't know your last name or how old you are."

"My last name is Miller, and I'm twenty one. How old are you?"

"Eighteen. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope," he answered, his lips popping loudly.

"Me neither. Are your parents married or divorced?"

"They were married the last time that I talked to them," he said in a stressed tone.

"Mine are divorced. We'll steer clear of our families for right now since it's difficult for you."

"Thank you. Is the vampire your only ex-boyfriend?"

"His name is Edward, and yes he's my only ex-boyfriend."

"Are you a virgin? You don't have to answer that if it's too personal."

"I am a virgin. I have a feeling that your aren't, but that doesn't bother me."

"I haven't been a virgin since I was thirteen," he answered honestly.

"Okay, I didn't need to know that," she said with a nervous laugh.

"I make you nervous, don't I?"

"It's because I don't know you that well."

"Do you know me well enough to hug me?"

"You're leaving?" she asked, crest fallen.

"I have to run patrol with Embry."

She stood at the same time he did. He was at least a head and a half taller than her. He was taller, but not as filled out as Jacob. He looked down at her with curious eyes. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he pulled her to him. He draped his arms over her shoulders as she rested her head against his chest. Electricity coursed through them both. The bell above the door jingling followed by an angry growl then the door slamming shut again made her look up at him.

"That was Jacob, wasn't it?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah," he confirmed with a nod.

"How mad did he look?"

"Mad enough to kill anyone who gets in his way."

"Then I suggest you stay out of his way," she said pulling away from him.

"You don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

He walked up the stairs and down the street. He turned just before rounding a corner. Bella was watching him from the window. She waved and he smiled in return. She may not have said yes, but she hadn't turned him down. He could live with that.

XXXX

The curtains beside Bella's desk billowed in the wind. She heard movement in the yard and Jacob came through her window a few seconds later.

"Hey," she said not looking up from her computer.

"Are you busy?"

"Just a second," she said as she closed her internet down.

She turned to face him, taking in his concerned, tense look.

"I am going to forget what I saw this afternoon if you promise me that you will not talk to him again."

"Jake, you're not my dad. You can't tell me what to do," she said with a laugh.

"Then I'll just have to stay here until he comes home. I'm sure he'll see my side of things once I tell him what kind of person Paul is."

"Please don't. I trust him, you should too."

"He tried to kill you Bella!" he said.

"But he didn't. He's apologized and I have forgiven him for it."

"Why can't you just listen to reason?"

"Because he isn't the person that you think he is."

"What has he told you?"

"Nothing, but he obviously has issues with his family."

"I don't trust him. I'm talking to your dad whether you want me to or not."

"Why are you acting like this? You're acting like I'm dating him," she said as she folded her arms over her chest.

"You're not?" he asked giving her a confused look.

"I just started acting normal again a few months ago. I'm not ready for a boyfriend."

"But you're his imprint," he said with a sigh.

"I'm his what?" she asked as her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Pretend that I didn't just say that," he said with another sigh.

"What is an imprint Jake?"

"He should be telling you this."

"I'm confused. You tell me one second that I shouldn't have anything to do with him and the next you tell me that I need to talk to him."

"You're going to do whatever you want anyway. Your dad is pulling up. I'm going downstairs to talk to him. Stay up here," he ordered before turning on his heel.

"There you go again tell me what to do," she said throwing her arms up in aggravation.

"Let me talk to him. Please?"

"I swear if you tell my dad that Paul tried to attack me I will never talk to you again," she threatened.

"I'll take my chances," he said before going downstairs.

Bella changed into her pajamas while Jacob talked to Charlie. She was reading in bed when Charlie came up. He stood at her door with a worried look.

"Are you dating someone?"

"No," she answered slowly.

"Are you thinking of dating someone?"

"No Dad, I'm not," she said with a scoff.

"This isn't a laughing matter Bells. Jake is really concerned."

"There's a friend of his that he doesn't want me hanging out with."

"From what he said this guy is no friend of his."

"Paul is not a bad person Dad. I wouldn't go anywhere near him if he was." she reasoned.

"Did you get into a fight with him?"

"He's apologized. I started it."

"You started it?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes."

"If this guy wants to come here I need to meet him."

"You have. He came here with Sam to check the house," she pointed out.

"Which one was he?"

"The one I talked to on the porch."

"'Yes Sir' guy?" he asked skeptically.

"That's him," she confirmed.

"Does he have a last name?"

"It's Miller, and before you ask he's twenty one."

"Jeeze, he's three years older than you Bells," he said in exasperation.

"I know," she said quietly.

"Don't do anything reckless," he warned.

"I won't."

"Then I guess this conversation is over," he said before pushing away from the door.

"Goodnight." she called.

"'Night," he called before he shut his door.

She turned out her light with a sigh. So Jacob had told her dad about the fight she had gotten into with Paul. She would keep her distance from him until she could stand to see him without wanting to shake some sense into him. While she waited for that to happen she needed to see Paul. She would find out where he lived from Embry and go and see him tomorrow. He had some explaining to do.


	4. Not What She Was Expecting

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Bella sat out front of the small house, taking it in. It was the smallest log cabin she had ever seen. The yard was bare of trees except for a sycamore that shaded one side of the house. There wasn't a car in the yard so she hoped that he was home.

She heard a dog barking from inside. The door opened before she got to the porch.

"Stay," Paul called over his shoulder.

Bella stopped at the bottom of the stairs when he held his hand up to stop her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked once he had shut the door.

"You and I need to talk," she said with determination.

"About what?" he asked as he folded his arms over his chest.

"When were you planning on telling me that I am your imprint?"

"Who told you?" he asked with clenched fist.

"That doesn't matter. Start explaining."

"Sit down," he said sitting on the step.

"I would rather stand," she said with a sigh.

"An imprint is someone who is genetically matched with a werewolf so that the gene can be passed down."

"Are you serious?" she asked with wide, scared eyes.

"Yes. I'm not telling you anything else until you tell me who told you or how you found out where I lived."

"Embry told me where you lived."

"Did he tell you that you're my imprint?"

"No, that isn't important. Tell me everything," she pleaded earnestly.

"The fact that you won't tell me lets me know exactly who told you," he said through clenched teeth.

"You aren't going to do anything to him."

"The hell I'm not!" he yelled.

"He thought I already knew," she said quickly.

"That's the excuse you're giving me?" he asked in agitation.

"It's the truth. He didn't say anything else."

"What did he tell you about me?"

"Nothing that he hasn't said in front of you." she confirmed.

"He didn't tell you to stay away from me?"

"Yes he did. He even told my dad about you," she confessed.

"Your dad knows that I tried to hurt you?"

"I told him that the truth, Jake didn't."

"And?" he pressed.

"And what, I'm here aren't I?" she asked flatly.

"Your dad didn't tell you to stay away from me?"

"No, he didn't."

"We should go to Sam's. Emily can explain what being an imprint means better than I can."

"She's Sam's imprint?" she asked in concern.

"For a year and a half now, you might want to stand behind me," he said putting a hand on the doorknob.

She was behind him before the door opened. A flash of yellow bounded down the stairs. The dog stood in the yard with its tail thumping. It was the biggest yellow lab that Bella had ever seen. He sat on his haunches watching them.

"It's safe. You can go," he urged.

"That is the biggest dog I have ever seen," she said tentatively.

"He's better than any alarm system."

"You don't look like the type of guy who has a dog."

"I'm not. He showed up in the yard one day and now he won't leave," he said gruffly.

"So you finally gave up. What's his name?"

"Bo, at least that's what his tags say," he answered.

"There's no address or number that you can call?"

"No. I wouldn't pet him. He doesn't like people he doesn't know touching him," he said when she reached to rub the dog's head.

Bo walked next to him while Bella watched them. _Like owner, like dog_ she thought to herself. They walked in silence down the road.

"We could have taken my truck."

"Your truck wouldn't have made it down the hill."

"It did once." she reasoned.

"That's because Embry was driving. He knew what he was doing."

"You could have driven."

"Actually, I couldn't have. Be careful walking down the hill." he cautioned.

The hill dove straight down. She could see Sam and Emily's house at the bottom. It wouldn't have been so bad if the road had been paved. She slipped on gravel every other step she took. Paul shook his head, trying to hide his smile.

"Do you think this is funny?" she asked as her left foot fell out from under her once more.

"No," he said taking hold of her hand.

He helped her down the hill with her hand tightly gripping his. The electricity from yesterday was back. He had trouble focusing and they both almost went down when they neared the bottom of the hill. Sam was on the porch watching them with an amused smile.

"Is your truck not working?" he asked Bella.

"It is. He didn't think that I could get it down here."

"People who drive down that hill without knowing what they're doing usually end up in my yard. I would have come and gotten you but I can see how you would like this way better," he said looking at Paul.

"Is Emily here?" Paul asked.

"She's inside. What's going on?"

"Jake told her."

"He disobeyed me?" Sam asked, his face tightening in anger.

"He thought that I knew. He didn't tell me anything really."

"I don't know much about it either. That's why I brought her here."

"Come inside."

The four of them gathered around the table and Sam and Emily explained everything as best as they could.

"That explains why I haven't gotten angry with you except that one time," Bella said.

"We worked through that, didn't we?"

"I understand that we feel a pull towards one another, but I'm still not ready."

"I know. I'm not going anywhere."

"I had someone else tell me that and I trusted them. They left without looking back. If you mean it, you're going to have to prove it."

"I will if you give me a chance," he said in a stressed tone.

"Do you see me running away?" she asked pointedly.

"No."

"I'm not going to."

"I think it's time that we let Emily talk to her Paul. We'll be outside," Sam said as he rose from the table.

Emily smiled warmly once the boys left. She explained things as best as she could. She answered all of Bella's questions. Once Bella was ready to leave Paul met her on the porch. They walked silently up the hill, slipping and sliding the whole way. He scooped her up in his arms before continuing up the steep incline.

"Isn't it harder like this?"

"You aren't pulling me down, so I would say no."

"Smart ass," she said with a smirk.

He smirked as he passed Jacob's house. Billy waved while Jacob looked away as soon as he saw them. Bella saw his tight lipped, angry features as they passed. She sighed before laying her head on Paul's shoulder.

"That kid is more trouble than he is worth," he muttered.

"He's my best friend. I'll go over and talk to him later."

"Who said I was going to let you leave?"

"If you don't, I'm sure Jake will tell my dad where you live. You don't want to be on his bad side."

"You can leave whenever you want, only because your dad carries a gun," he said as he set her down in his yard.

"I didn't say that I was ready to leave yet."

Bo lay on the porch while they talked on the only stair. Before Bella knew it, it was nearly dark.

"Now I do need to go home. I'll call you later," she said as she stood.

"You can't leave yet," he said standing.

He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck before laying her head on his shoulder. He laid his head on her shoulder, taking in her scent. She unwound her arms from his neck making him pull away.

"I'll try to come by this weekend."

He nodded as he walked backwards to the door. He watched her leave before looking down at the dog. The dog looked up at him expectantly.

"Come on," he said opening the door.

Bo went in first and headed for his food bowl in the corner. Paul sat in the lone chair in the room with a sigh. He wasn't sure why he hadn't asked her to come inside. The house was small and bare, but it was clean. He would ask her to come in the next time.

XXXX

Bella was helping Mike with his math homework when the bell above the door rang. They both looked up at the same time seeing Jacob standing on the landing.

"You can go. Thanks for coming in on your day off to help me," Mike said.

"Not a problem," she said opening the partition in the counter.

Jacob held the door open for her as she crossed the room to the counter.

"If you're here to tell me to not see Paul again you're wasting your breath."

"I'm trying to be as nice as I possibly can to him. He thinks about you constantly when we're on patrol."

"Isn't he supposed to do that?"

"I wouldn't know. I don't have an imprint," Jacob said bitterly.

"Sorry," she said putting a hand on his arm.

"'s okay," he mumbled.

"How about we change the subject? What have you been up to?"

"Not much. I need to talk to you, in private."

"Did you drive here?"

"No. I walked," he said with a sly grin.

"Come on. You can come over to my house," she said taking him by the hand and leading him to the truck.

Once they were at her house he waited downstairs while she changed. He was making himself a sandwich when she came down a few minutes later.

"What's going on?"

"Sam caught scent of the redhead near here this morning."

"She was here?" she asked with a gasp.

"It looks like it," he said with a nod.

"So what's going to happen?"

"We'll keep watch. There's going to be somebody with you until we catch her."

"What about my dad? He'll get suspicious."

"We'll stay close to the woods when he's here. Unless it's me, that is," he explained.

"So, you're my babysitter for the night?"

"Yep," he answered.

"The least I can do is feed you," she said putting away the stuff he had left out.

"I need help with my science homework too."

"Did you bring it?"

"I still have to go home and tell my dad that I'm here," he said shaking his head.

"Then go and get it."

"What time does your dad get off?"

"He should be home by midnight. You can sleep upstairs, can't you?"

"I can keep a better watch on you up there," he said with a nod.

"Hurry back," she said as he opened the door.

She made herself something to eat while she waited for him to come back. She had forgotten about what had happened the last time he had come over. He had called to apologize that morning. She couldn't be mad at him when he was sorry for what he had done.


	5. Setting the Record Straight

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Bella woke to see Paul straddling her chair. He watched her with an intense stare. He didn't look away until she sat up.

"Has anyone ever told you that you talk in your sleep?" he asked.

"No. What did I say?"

"You said my name a lot, and you told Jake to back off."

"I don't remember what I was dreaming about," she said with a sigh.

"It couldn't have been too bad, you weren't yelling."

"How long have you been here?"

"An hour?" he guessed with a shrug.

"Do you come here a lot?"

"No."

"You can if you want. The window is always unlocked."

He nodded as he stood from the chair. He crossed the room to stand over top of her. She made room for him before patting the bed in invitation. He sat on the edge of the bed facing her.

"You know you can lie down, I don't bite," she said with a nervous laugh.

He lay next to her with his arms underneath his head. She lay on her stomach resting on her elbows, watching him.

"So it's your turn to babysit me?"

"I wouldn't call it babysitting. That makes it sound weird," he disagreed.

"Okay then, is today your day to guard me?" she asked.

"Yes it is. I like the word guard better."

"You're going to be bored. I don't have anything planned. I don't even work today."

"That's okay. I don't get bored easily."

"What do you want to do?"

"What did you and Jake do when he was here?" he asked cautiously.

"We slept most of the time since we both had school yesterday," she said honestly.

"Where did he sleep?"

"Right where you are; don't worry, he kept his hands to himself," she said with a light laugh.

"I might have a problem keeping mine to myself," he said with a smirk.

"I wouldn't complain."

He rolled over on his side before propping his head up with a hand. Bella rolled over on hers staring at him.

"I figured out what we can do," he said with finality.

"What?"

"We are gonna play twenty questions. Only I get to ask the questions," he said pointedly.

"Why am I the only one who has to give up information?" she retorted.

"I'll answer the questions that apply to me too, but there are some things that I'm not ready to talk about yet."

"Okay," she agreed.

"Why did your parents get divorced?"

"They married too young. They weren't ready," she said with a shake of her head.

"Did they fight a lot?"

"I don't remember. I was only two when my mom moved us to Arizona," she admitted.

"You're lucky. I have nightmares about my parents arguing," he said, his eyes a mask of anguish.

"It was that bad?"

"Yeah, why did your mom move you to Arizona?"

"It's where she's originally from. Her family still lives there," she explained.

"How did your parents meet?"

"My dad went to Arizona for football camp when he was in high school. My uncle was there too, he introduced them."

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"Morphine, Codeine, and bees," she rattled off meticulously.

"I was lactose and tolerant before I phased. Now I live off pizza and ice cream. I was also dyslexic," he admitted.

"That must have been really hard for you," she said her eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"It was terrible, I hated every minute of it."

"Have you had trouble since you changed?" she asked.

"Some. What was Edward like?"

"Edward was nice. He was old fashioned, and very reserved. He didn't show his emotions unless he was angry or I was in danger."

"How old is he?"

"One hundred and elven years old," she answered with a sigh.

"No wonder he's old fashioned. He was seriously stuck in the early twentieth century."

"He was very proper, and respectful. He didn't talk like we're talking now."

"What's with the picture on the wall?" he asked looking at the picture of a grey wolf standing alone in a forest.

"My dad bought it at a flea market. He thought I would like it."

"Do you like it?"

"I do. I appreciate it more now. You only have nine more," she reminded him.

"I'll save them for later. Do you have anything to eat around here?"

"Eight more, there might be a couple frozen pizzas in the freezer."

"That last question didn't count. They have to be about you."

"You get it back on a technicality. Come on," she said taking hold of his hand.

They talked while the pizzas were cooking, but once they started eating Paul got quiet. Bella didn't want to be rude and ask why so she let silence fill the room until they were done eating. She worked on her computer while he watched college basketball in the living room. They talked during commercials, but other than that they were content to just sit next to each other.

"Why are you on that so much?" he asked, gesturing to her laptop.

"It's the only way that I can talk to my friends in Arizona. I ran up a huge cell phone bill last month talking to them. So I told my dad that I would only talk to them on the computer. Why?"

"No reason," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Are you feeling neglected?" she teased.

"Yes," he admitted darkly.

She shut down her computer a few seconds later. She placed it on the coffee table once it was off. She scooted closer to him as he rested his arm on the back of the couch. She leaned against him before turning her attention to the game.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, wanting as much contact as possible. She tentatively laid her head on his shoulder. She wasn't used to this; Edward had never let her get this close to him without her asking for permission.

"You can relax. I don't mind," he said.

"Sorry, I've never done this before."

"I can tell," he said with a laugh.

After a few minutes she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What time is your dad supposed to get home?"

"Not until tonight. Is someone outside?"

"I'll go check it out."

She let go of him before getting off the couch. She went to get them something to drink while Paul checked outside. She looked out the window seeing Embry and Sam in the yard with Paul. Paul came inside a few seconds later.

"They caught the redheads scent. Embry is going to stay with you. I'll be back as soon as I can," he said hugging her quickly.

"Be careful," she called after him.

Embry came in a few seconds later and took Paul's spot on the couch. Bella made him something to eat while he talked trash at the TV.

"Here," she said handing him a plate loaded with sandwiches.

"Bless you," he said as he started to eat.

They talked while he ate and he caught her up on what they had found.

"She was just standing on the beach?"

"Yeah, it was like she wanted us to find her. Sam sent Jared and Jake ahead of him so that he could get Paul."

"I hope they catch her."

"Me too, she has all of us on edge," he said nervously.

"This is my fault," she admitted sadly.

"What is?"

"You, Jacob, and Jared changed because she is here. She is here because of me."

"Don't talk like that. None of this is your fault," he admonished.

"Then whose fault is it?"

"I blame the Cullen's. The girl wouldn't be here if Edward hadn't killed her mate. Her mate wouldn't have come after you if Edward hadn't brought you with him that night," he stated.

"That's your theory."

"That's the whole packs theory. Edward was irresponsible," he admonished.

She hadn't realized that the pack felt that way. She would have to have a talk with them. Edward had done everything he could to protect her until the day he left. She was alive because of him.

XXXX

Bella was at work the next day when Jacob came in. He leaned over the counter to see what she was working on.

"It's Calculus."

"No wonder I didn't understand it," he said with a laugh.

"I called you because I wanted to ask you to talk to Sam about having the pack come over to my house tonight."

"What for?" he questioned curiously.

"There are some things that you all need to know about Edward. I was talking to Embry the other day; all of you are blaming the wrong person," she stated.

"He told me that you thought it was your fault. You're wrong," he said flatly.

"Well so are all of you," she said with a sigh.

They talked for a few more minutes before the bell jingled. Paul made his way towards them.

"What is he doing here?" Jacob asked.

"I asked him to come."

"I can give you a ride home."

"I didn't ask you to. I drove today, but thank you," she said politely.

"I'll talk to Sam, what time do you want us there?"

"I'm not sure what time my dad goes in tonight. I'll call you and let you know."

Jacob nodded before walking away. Paul waved as he passed him. Jacob nodded in acknowledgment before walking out the door. Paul stood at the counter while Bella gathered her stuff.

"Are you still here Bella?" Mike called from the back.

"I'm still here."

He came from the back hall and made his way towards her. He made eye contact with Paul for a split second before looking away.

"I was wondering if I could trade shifts with you this weekend," he broached.

"That's fine. I can come in on Sunday," she agreed.

"Thanks a lot."

"This is Paul," she said, introducing him.

"Hi, I'm Mike."

Paul nodded with a tight lipped smile. Bella lifted the partition and walked around to Paul. She took his hand, pulling him up the stairs. Once they were outside he let go of her hand then wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Who is he?"

"Mike? We go to school together, we're friends."

"He didn't seem to like me very much."

"He saw you the day that you were watching me from outside. He doesn't know what to think of you," she answered honestly.

"He didn't like my stalking idea?"

"No, he wasn't a fan. It creped him out," she admitted.

"What a wuss," he said with a clipped laugh.

"Jake calls him a Marshmallow."

"So he's not well liked?"

"Just by you and Jake, everybody else I know gets along with him."

"Did Edward?"

"They never talked, but Mike didn't like that I dated Edward. He had a crush on me when we first met," she admitted.

He opened the driver's side door for her before jogging to the other side. She turned to face him before starting the truck.

"Why don't you drive?"

"I don't know how," he mumbled.

"You don't know how to drive?"

"No one has ever taught me," he answered a little, adding a shrug.

"We're going to change that. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't get in here and just drive. Sometimes I'll drive and I won't have a destination. I'll just point the truck and go."

"You would do that?"

"Sure. No one has ever offered?"

"No. My old man didn't have time for that, my mom doesn't drive. I wanted to ask Sam, but I was embarrassed," he admitted.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed. Since my Saturday is free, do you want your first lesson then?"

"It takes longer than a day?" he asked cautiously.

"It took me nearly a week to learn everything. I got lucky, my stepdad's pretty patient."

Bella started the truck, looking behind her before pulling out of the tight space. The ride to her house was filled with silence. Once they were at her house her dad was outside washing his cruiser. He gave Paul a once over as he got out of the truck. Bella gave him a warning look before turning her attention to Paul.

"Paul, this is my dad, Charlie. Dad, this is Paul."

"Hi," Paul said with a nod.

"Hi," Charlie said with a nod of his own.

"We're going to go inside. We'll be in the living room if you need me," Bella said as she walked up the walkway.

"I'll let you know."

Inside Paul sat on the couch while Bella went upstairs. She came back down with a small, long, thin book. She handed it to him before sitting down. It was a driver's manual.

"If I'm going to teach you to drive you need to read that and know the basics."

He nodded as he opened the book to the first page. He hated reading, but this was something that he needed to know.

"Are you even reading?" she asked as he flipped through the pages quickly.

"I'll read it later," he promised.

"Tell me what the first sentence says."

He sighed before going back to page one. The letters were jumbled in his mind, bringing on a migraine. He was trying too hard and thinking the worst. He was still getting used to the fact that his dyslexia wasn't holding him back any longer. This is what always happened. He took a deep calming breath as the migraine subsided.

"This book will help you on your journey to the open road."

"Okay so you can read it. What's going on?"

"I'm not used to being able to read without any problems yet," he said with a sigh.

"Okay, so we'll work through it."

"Does nothing ever stop you? Haven't you ever had a problem that you couldn't solve?" he asked in a stressed tone.

"I'm just trying to help," she said holding up her hands in surrender.

"And I'm not used to people I hardly know helping me," he admitted.

"Then you'll just have to get used to it. Hand me the book," she said holding out her hand.

He handed it to her and she started reading aloud. He sat back, trying to take in what she said. At the end of the every section she would ask him questions about what they had gone over. He was able to answer them easily. Charlie came in half way through the first half of the book.

"Did you want me to make dinner?"

"That's okay. I've got to be at work in half an hour."

"I'll make you something that you can take with you."

"That sounds good."

She waited until he went upstairs before turning her attention back to Paul.

"Why can't you just let me help you?" she ventured.

"Can we not talk about this now?"

"As long as you promise that we'll talk about it eventually," she bargained.

"Fine," he said, giving in.

He had been scared to tell her. His mom hadn't helped by telling him that he was stupid when he was in school. He had graduated only because he had paid smart kids to do his homework and he had been smart enough not to get caught cheating.

He felt that he had imprinted on her for a reason. They both came from backgrounds that were hard to adapt to. She had turned out completely different than he had, and that was the kind of person that he needed. Someone that would understand what he had been through and was patient enough help him through his issues.

XXXX

The pack sat in the living room after Bella had made them dinner. They all watched her with curious eyes as she stood in the middle of the room.

"I'm going to make this quick because I know that Jared and Jake need to patrol. Edward is not the person that all of you think he is. He made the mistake of leaving, but all of the other things he did outweigh that."

"What did he do?" Paul asked.

"I wasn't lying when I told you that you weren't the first person to attack me. Neither was Laurent. Edward saved my life three times in the time that I knew him. I was almost crushed by an out of control van. He repelled it with his hand. I was cornered by a group of guys who planned on raping me. Edward saved me then too."

"What happened the last time?" Jacob asked worriedly.

"That's where Victoria and Laurent come in. There was another member of their clan. James was a Tracker, someone who hunts humans. He smelled me and then came after me. Edward convinced his entire family to help me. Do you see this?" she asked, pushing up her sleeve then holding up her wrist. "James bit me. I would have died if Edward hadn't sucked the venom out. He is not a bad person; I am alive because of him."

"So who is to blame? It sure as hell isn't you, and I know it's not us," Paul stated in anger.

"Victoria," Bella said looking him in the eye.

"That makes sense. If Edward hadn't saved her, you wouldn't have imprinted on her," Jared said.

"Jared, Jake, you two need to head out. Thank you for telling us about Edward Bella," Sam said as he stood.

Bella nodded as everyone except Paul filed out of the room. She sat next to him before turning to face him. He took hold of her arm, turning it over to look at her scar.

"Is it always this cold?"

"Yes," she said looking down at her hands.

"You don't have to be ashamed."

Her eyes met his and she smiled feebly. He was right; she didn't need to be ashamed. She hadn't asked James to bite her, then again she hadn't asked for anything that had happened since she had moved back to Forks. She was on edge because Victoria was still after her. Once Victoria was out of the picture she would be able to relax.


	6. Simple, Yet Strong

**Disclaimer: **

**Paul: Donna doesn't own Twilight. But if you send in a review for this chapter I will give you a hug. Donna says that I need more of those.**

Paul was on the porch when Bella pulled up on Saturday. Bo sat next to him watching her with the same intense look that Paul was giving her. She stood a few feet away, not sure what Bo would do if she got any closer.

"Is it alright if he comes? I don't like leaving him here by himself."

"Sure."

"He tends to tear the house apart when I leave him alone."

"What do you do when you go on patrol?"

"He comes with me. He sleeps under the tree when I come to see you."

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Have you been going over the book with Sam?"

"Yeah," he acknowledged.

She climbed in the passenger side as Bo jumped into the bed. Paul slid behind the wheel as Bella turned to face him. She handed him the keys silently.

"The first thing you want to do is check your mirrors. If you can't see out of them they need to be moved."

He adjusted the rear view mirror then rolled down his window.

"How do I adjust this one?"

"Pull from the top first. If you pull it too far you can adjust it from the bottom," she instructed.

He adjusted it before resting his arm on the open window.

"Start it whenever you're ready. You want to turn the key away from you."

The truck rumbled to life and he put both hands on the wheel.

"You want to take the break off, and double punch the clutch as you move the truck into drive like I showed you the other day."

The truck rolled down the driveway and Bella told him how to turn right. He turned onto the main road and Bella coaxed him through the twists and turns to the store. They spent a few minutes in the store before waiting in line. Once they were at the register Quil rang them up without looking at them. Bella smiled gratefully before letting Paul pull her out of the store.

"Where do you want to go now?" she asked.

"We could go to the beach."

"Do you feel like driving? The hill is pretty steep."

"It's no worse than the one leading to Sam's. I want to try."

"Okay."

She guided him through the shifting of the gears as they drove slowly down the hill. Five minutes later they were sitting on the beach.

"I saw my dad for the first time in a year last night," he said breaking the silence.

"How did that go?"

"The same way it always goes. Nothing happened. He barely looked at me," he said with a shrug.

"How old were you when you left home?"

"I didn't leave. I was kicked out on my eighteenth birthday," he murmured, looking down at his hands.

"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to," she remarked sympathetically.

"You need to know. Sam, Emily, and Leah Clearwater are the only people who know. I know that you won't tell anyone."

"I won't," she promised.

"My mom is an alcoholic and my dad was never around. He's a fisherman who spent his entire life on the water. He would rather ignore my mom's problems then deal with them."

"Was she violent?" she broached.

"She smacked me around more than a few times before I learned to defend myself. I spent a lot of time away from home. Sam's parents let me live with them for a summer while my dad was working. I acted out because I was starving for attention. I got brought home by Quil Sr. and Harry more times than I can count. I've never drank or done drugs, but that didn't stop me from causing trouble."

"Who kicked you out, your mom or your dad?"

"My mom, she told me that it was time that I learned to take care of myself. I phased for the first time that night. Sam and Leah let me live with them. Once Emily came into the picture Leah went off to college. Emily took care of me; she and Sam helped me get a handle on things."

"When was the last time you saw your mom?"

"The night she kicked me out, she spends most of her time at the bar. I've never stepped foot in there, so odds are that I won't run into her ever again," he said, his mouth forming a firm line.

"I'm sorry," she said putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault."

"I can't imagine anyone neglecting their child like that. Why didn't someone do something?"

"No one else knew."

"No one noticed that your mom drank too much or that she beat you?" she asked in confusion.

"She only got drunk at home, and I was good at hiding the bruises," he explained.

"You dad never did anything?"

"He did when I was younger. Once I turned ten he taught me how to fight. I was able to stick up for myself."

"You fought your mom?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I wasn't about to take it. Ninety percent of the time I hadn't done anything wrong," he said with disdain.

"How long did it take to adjust to living on your own?"

"I've only lived on my own for a year. I'm still learning."

"And you obviously haven't learned to control your anger."

"It's a work in progress," he said with a shrug.

She turned to face him, taking in his features. There was a half-moon scar on his jaw, she wondered if his mom had put it there. He turned to look at her from underneath his eye lashes.

"I don't want you feeling sorry for me," he mumbled.

"I don't. I worry about you, there's a difference," she said with a shake of her head.

The wind blew her hair into her face and he brushed it behind her ear. He kept his hand behind her neck before leaning in. She held her breath as he brushed his lips to hers. When she didn't pull away he applied more pressure. She sighed silently as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She let him take over, loving the feeling of his lips on hers. His teeth pulled at her bottom lip until she opened her mouth for him.

His tongue stroked hers gently as his fingers tangled in her hair. She let herself relax against him once the kiss slowed. She put her hands on his shoulders, shoving lightly. He pulled away, his eyes searching hers. She had never been kissed like that before. He had taken her breath away and made her speechless at the same time.

"I've never seen anybody turn that shade of red before," he teased.

"You had to ruin it," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Sorry," he said with a lazy smile.

"It's okay," she said before brushing her lips to his.

"I embarrassed you?"

"No. No one has ever kissed me like that before."

"Want to do it again?" he asked with a grin.

"Sure," she said with a laugh.

He leaned in, this time he didn't waste any time before going in for the kill. She threaded her fingers in his hair. He moaned into her mouth as she moved closer to him. He lifted her without breaking the kiss and placed her in his lap. The wind chilled her skin and she shivered. His arms circled her, warming her instantly. She pulled away with a chuckle.

"Okay, enough for right now. I'm going to lose all of my oxygen soon," she murmured.

"I could give you CPR," he offered.

"Easy big guy," she said putting a hand on his chest.

"Then again, this is nice too."

"Do you realize that this could qualify as a date?"

"It could?" he asked quizzically.

"We're not at my house, we've spent half the day together, and now we've made out. We're on a date," she pointed out.

"You're a cheap date," he stated, squeezing lightly.

"It doesn't take a lot to make me happy," she said smiling shyly.

He held her to him as she buried her face in his neck. He hadn't planned on putting the moves on her after telling her his life story. He hadn't even expected her to react the way that she had. It was almost like she was even madder about the situation than he was.

XXXX

Back at his house they sat on the porch with Bo sitting at Paul's feet.

"Are you hiding a secret love child in your house?"

"No," he said with a laugh.

"Then you won't mind if I go inside," she said as she stood.

Paul opened the door for her before turning on the light. The living room and kitchen were pretty much one room separated by a counter. There was no TV, only a slightly used oversized chair and a coffee table. A door on the right side wall stood open.

"Have a seat," he said as he crossed to the living room.

"What about you?"

"Do you all of the sudden have a problem sitting with me?"

"I guess not," she said indifferently.

She stood as he came to stand next to her. She sat in his lap with her legs dangling over the arm. She wrapped an arm around his neck and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Bo eating in the kitchen was the only sound.

"What's in your room?"

"My secret love child," he stated bluntly.

"I'm going in there," she said getting away from him.

He followed her to where she stood at the door. The room was bigger than she thought it would be. A full sized bed sat against the wall in the center of the room. There was a nightstand with a lamp with no shade on it. There was a door in the corner of the room which she assumed was the bathroom. There were two windows with a flat screen TV and TV stand in between them.

"Why do you have the TV in here and not in the living room?"

"I spend most of my time in here."

"It's nice. It's just big enough for you."

"It's all I need for right now," he stated.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind and she stepped into the embrace. The whole tour of the house had taken less than two minutes. It was obvious that Paul was a person who didn't need a lot. He kept things simple, and for that, Bella was grateful.


	7. Sometimes Love Just Isn't Enough

**Disclaimer:**

**Jacob: Donna doesn't own Twilight. But she does own the idea for this story, please don't steal it.**

Bella held a hand on the roof of the truck to keep from hitting her head on it. Jacob had warned her that where they were going had pot holes and dips, and promised her that he would check her suspension and alignment when they got back to her house.

Once they were at the top the ocean spread out forever in front of them.

"What are we doing here?"

"We are going cliff diving."

"When you told me to wear my bathing suit I thought you meant that we were going to the beach," she said in a panicked voice.

"You're the one who said that you wanted to do this. Are you backing out?" he challenged.

"Will you jump with me?"

"Does little Bella need big, strong Jake to hold her hand?" he teased.

"Yes, she does," she confirmed.

"I promise that I will hold your hand."

She stripped down to her bathing suit and he pulled off his shirt before getting out of the truck. It was warm, even for late March. He took her hand and led her to the edge.

"Don't look down," he warned.

"How high up are we?"

"Three stories, at least."

"Oh God," she said gripping his hand tighter.

"We can step off if you want. That would be easiest."

"Is that what you did your first time?"

"No, I did a back flip."

"I am not doing that," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Then what do you want to do?"

"We can dive."

He nodded before asking if she was ready. She nodded, gathering all of her courage. He counted to three before they both sprung off the rocks. Bella clenched her eyes shut as they nosed dived at rapid speed towards the water. She shrieked as she felt the wind whipping around her. They both hit the water at the same time. She surfaced first, feeling someone watching her.

Jacob surfaced a hundred feet away, facing away from the beach.

"What do you see?"

"Get out of the water, now," he said turning around and swimming as fast as he could.

He pulled her up the incline to find Sam standing beside her truck.

"Get her to Emily's, Jared is there. I need you to meet me in the forest."

"What's going on?" Bella asked impatiently.

"I'll explain on the way to Emily's."

"Is it Victoria?" she questioned in fear.

"She was in the water. I couldn't even smell her," he growled.

"But you saw her?"

"Yes," he said as the truck kicked up rocks.

The ride to Emily's took less than five minutes. Jared stood in the yard in wolf form.

"Take care of her," Jacob warned as he tied his clothes to his ankle.

"Come inside Bella," Emily called.

Bella watched Jacob leave from the door. Paul was more than likely already on Victoria's trail. She knew that she didn't need to worry about him or any of the rest of the pack, but that didn't stop her from saying a desperate prayer. She prayed that they would finally catch Victoria so that all of this could be put behind her.

XXXX

Jacob picked up Victoria's scent before he got to the forest. He raced through the reservation trying to find her.

_She's on the Rez. _He thought.

_We're coming._ Sam thought.

He heard Harry and Charlie not far off and that was where the smell was the strongest. He had to warn them.

_Wait for us Jacob._ Sam thought.

_What if she gets to Charlie?_

_Don't do anything unless you have to._

As he got to the group of hunters he saw Harry bringing up the rear. Most of the hunters were from the tribe so they wouldn't be too worried about seeing Jacob. He caught sight of Victoria in the trees watching the men. He took off, running as fast as he could.

Harry didn't see her until she was right behind him. Jacob bounded down the incline as she threw him out of the way. She lunged towards Charlie silently. Jacob crashed into her as Charlie disappeared over the hill.

Sam and Paul flanked him as he pinned Victoria to the ground.

_Do it._ Sam thought.

Jacob pulled her arm off easily. Paul detached her head with a snap before she could protest. Sam phased before picking Harry up. He walked up the hill yelling for help. Jacob and Paul quickly gathered the body parts before taking off. They could hear the men asking Sam what had happened. He explained that Harry had a heart attack. He was already dead by the time Sam got to him.

"What should we do with her?" Jacob asked.

"Burn her like the other. That way no one can find her," Paul said as they walked through the forest.

Paul made a fire then Jacob threw the remains in one piece at a time.

"What were you thinking? Bella could have been hurt," Paul said once they were done.

"She was in the water. You know we can't smell them in the water. I got Bella to safety."

"What if you hadn't? You never think of the consequences!"

"Calm down, Paul. Go and see her, she's at my house," Sam said.

"I have to get her home. Charlie is going to be wondering where she is."

"Go with him."

They raced to the house. Jared phased and Jacob told him to come into the house with him. Bella came out then threw herself into Paul's arms. He held her tightly as she buried her face in his neck.

"She won't be a problem again. Jacob and I took care of her."

"Thank you," she said into his neck.

"Your dad almost found out. She killed Harry."

"How?" she asked quietly.

"She threw him against a tree. His neck and back were broken instantly. As far as your dad knows he had a heart attack."

She nodded as she tightened her grip on his neck.

"You aren't hurt?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine," she said as she pulled away from his neck.

He brushed his lips to hers before pulling away.

"You should go home. Call your dad and let him know that you're okay. He's probably worried about you."

She nodded before kissing him. It was cut short when the door opened. Jacob came out making as little noise as he could. Paul pulled her arms from around his neck before stepping away. He nodded to Jacob as he passed him to walk into the house.

Bella was already in the truck when Jacob got in. She was on the phone with her dad assuring him that she was fine. She had been at Sam and Emily's all day out of harm's way. Jacob started the truck once she was off the phone.

"You're getting pretty good at lying to him," he said quietly.

"You're such a hypocrite. You lie to almost everyone," she muttered.

"No one would believe me Bella, there's a difference."

"I don't want him to worry about me," she answered, folding her arms over her chest.

"He worries about you constantly."

"Can we please not talk about him?"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I was going to thank you for what you did today."

"You're welcome," he said as they pulled up to her house.

She opened the door but he stopped her from getting out.

"Wait," he said quickly.

She looked over at him with curious eyes. Something caught her attention across the street. Her attention was turned to the car on the side of the road. Even in the darkness she would know that car anywhere.

"One of the Cullen's is here," she said hurriedly.

She pulled away from him quickly to run through the yard.

"Bella, wait. It could be a trick," he said running after her.

"I know it's them. That's Carlisle's car," she said once he stopped her.

"If they have come back I can't protect you."

"You won't need to," she said trying to get away from him.

"Please let her go," Someone said as they opened the door.

"It's Alice, its fine," Bella said reassuringly.

He let her go before stalking towards the truck. The truck door slamming shut made Bella cringe as she stepped into the house.

"Who is he? And why do you smell like wet dog?" Alice questioned quickly.

"He's Jacob, he's my best friend. He's also a werewolf."

"Bella, why would you become best friends with a werewolf?" she asked exasperatedly.

"He wasn't one when we became friends. What are you doing here?"

"I had a vision of you jumping off a cliff. I thought you were dead! I was going to comfort Charlie. How did you not die?" she asked in a panicked tone.

"I jumped with Jacob. I was perfectly safe, until Victoria found me."

"Victoria has been here?" Alice asked with wide eyes.

"Jacob and another member of the pack killed her."

"Oh thank God!" Alice said with a sigh.

"You haven't told anyone else what you saw did you?"

"No."

"Is he alright?"

"He isn't with us. We don't hear from him often."

"I've tried to e-mail you to let you know how I was doing."

"We changed everything so that you couldn't get in touch with us. I'll give you my phone number before I leave," she promised.

The front door opened and Paul came in.

"He's not Jacob is he? He looks taller."

"He's Paul. He is the other wolf who killed Victoria."

"Thank you for protecting my friend," Alice said politely.

"I didn't do it for your benefit," he said in acid tone.

"Could we have a few minutes?" Bella asked Alice.

"I'll come back once he leaves."

Paul crossed the room to sit next to her.

"Who is she?" he accused.

"She is Alice, she's a Cullen."

"What is she doing here?"

"She had a vision of me jumping off a cliff. She thought that I was dead. She didn't see Jacob."

"She can see the future?" he asked in concern.

"It's selective. If the person changes their mind she loses the vision."

"Are the rest of them here?"

"No," she confirmed.

"Do you need me to stay here?"

"Everything is fine. It is good to see you and Jacob working together for once."

"Don't expect it to happen all the time," he said with a heavy sigh.

"I'm hopeful, not an idiot," she said with a teasing smile.

He cupped her face in his hands before leaning in. He kissed her roughly, putting everything he had behind it. She sighed against his lips. He crushed her against him as his tongue passed her lips. The door opened and Alice was next to them less than a second later. She was holding out her phone to Bella.

"It's Edward. He found out somehow. He doesn't believe that you're fine," she explained.

"Go ahead," Paul said before pulling away.

Bella took the phone from her before sitting on the couch.

"Edward?"

"Where are you?" he asked.

She expected to feel some sort of reaction after not hearing his voice other than in her mind for the past six months. She felt nothing. His voice wasn't the way that she remembered it. It was flatter and more lilting. She sighed before finally answering him.

"I'm at home. How did you find out?"

"Jasper noticed something was wrong when Alice took off so quickly. The family put two and two together and called me. I'm on my way there."

"No, don't come here," she objected.

"Why not?" he asked, his voice hurt.

"Everything is fine. Victoria is out of the picture."

"She is?"

"She's dead."

"Who killed her?"

"Jacob and someone else that I know." she answered honestly.

"How?" he asked credulously.

"They're wolves."

"I'm coming whether you want me to or not," he said, his voice tight with anger.

"Be forewarned that things have changed," she broached.

"What has changed?"

"Nothing will happen between us," she informed him.

"I know that I shouldn't have left you the way that I did. If I could just explain…" he said quickly.

"I'm seeing someone else," she said as she cut him off.

"Alice hasn't seen him?"

"She met him today," she explained.

"Why couldn't she see him before?" he asked in confusion.

"He's a wolf," she confessed.

He growled in frustration before hanging up on her. She handed the phone back to Alice solemnly. Paul looked down at his feet when Alice asked what Edward had said.

"Well you already know that he's coming here even though I told him that it wasn't necessary. I never knew that he didn't like being put in his place."

"Yes, it's his only pet peeve. He doesn't take it well," Alice said with a nod.

"He's going to have to get over it," Paul said pointedly.

Alice called Edward back and asked him to meet her at the house. Paul left later after Charlie had come home. Bella was getting ready for bed when Jacob climbed through the window.

"Leah Clearwater joined the pack."

"I didn't realize that she was back," she said in concern.

"No one else did either. Harry and Sue have been hiding her in the house for over two weeks," he said with a sigh.

"Did you see her?"

"No, my dad, Quil Sr. and Sam went to see her."

"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier," she said coming to stand in front of him.

"It's okay. I can't stay mad at you for long."

"I can't stay mad at you either."

"I have to tell you something. I don't want to upset you."

"What is it?"

"I know that I have no chance with you but I want you to know that I love you," he said, looking deeply into her eyes.

"You love me?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I was frustrated when Paul imprinted on you. I was hoping that if anyone imprinted on you that it would be me. Spending time with you over the past few months has made me realize how special you are to me."

"You're special to me too. No one understands me the way you do except for Paul."

"But you don't love me," he said sadly.

"I do, in my own way, but my feelings for Paul are stronger," she explained.

"Do you love him?"

"It's too soon to tell. We only officially got together the other day."

"I would never pressure you to choose between us," he promised.

"Good, because I would choose him," she said with finality.

"I know, and I understand," he said as he nodded.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"All of the Cullen's are back. Carlisle and the blond one went to see Sam and Paul."

"The blond is Jasper. I'm surprised that Edward didn't go."

"Carlisle said that he had ordered him to stay home. Apparently he's pretty mad that you are with someone else," he said with a lopsided smile.

"I got that impression when he hung on me."

"What a jerk," he scoffed.

"He's being very closed minded. I'm not used to him acting like that."

"Peoples true selves come out when they don't get what they want," he said rubbing her back.

"What's with you then?"

"We're friends, we always will be."

"Thank you," she said smiling up at him.

He smiled back before he pulled away.

"I should go. We've got school in the morning. Prepare to face Edward."

"I'm looking forward to it." she said rolling her eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said with a laugh.

She watched him jog through the yard before getting into bed. She knew that she should be mad at him for unloading his feelings for her on her but she wasn't. In a small way she had feelings for him too, in a strictly platonic way. There was a chance that he could imprint, and once he did he would forget about his feelings for her. Maybe then the feeling of guilt that she'd felt since Paul had imprinted on her would go away. She didn't like hurting Jacob, but that's what she had been doing for the past month. She was going to make up for that.


	8. Safety in Numbers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Bella was late for school on Monday morning. She came in half way through second period not paying attention to the person who sat next to her. She was still groggy as she pulled out her notebook and stared bleary eyed at the projector, trying to take notes.

"You can borrow mine during lunch," Mike said leaning across the aisle.

"Thanks," she said with a grateful smile.

Twenty minutes later the bell rang and she bolted from the room. She could feel Edward behind her trying to get her attention.

"Leave her alone Edward. Remember what Carlisle said," Jasper said from somewhere close by.

Bella's panic fled instantly and she had never been more thankful to have Jasper around. She didn't want people questioning her about the way she was acting.

"Hi Bella," Alice said coming to stand next to her.

"Hi Alice," she said reaching into her locker for something.

"How are you doing?"

"Fine," she said with a nod.

"I don't want things to be awkward between us. I still want to be friends with you."

"I'm not being friendly?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"You've just seemed a bit standoffish since we came back," Alice said quietly.

"I'm not, I'm sorry you think that."

"It's okay. I'll see you later."

"Bye," she said with a wave.

"See you later Bella," Jasper said from across the hall.

"Bye," she said with a kind smile.

Edward was already in the classroom when Bella walked in.

"Bella, I've had your seat switched with Mike," Her Chemistry teacher said without looking up.

"Hey partner," Eric said with a smile as she sat down.

"Hey."

"At least I won't have to explain everything to you. Mike's a good guy, but science is not his best subject. I doubt Edward will be as nice as I was."

"I don't think so," she said with a laugh.

Class started and the teacher announced that they were having a pop quiz. The room was silent as the quizzes were passed out and the teacher watched to make sure no one cheated. Eric and Bella finished at the same time and Eric offered to take hers up for her. Edward finished next; he had explained to the teacher that he had gone over this subject already in his last school. Bella worked on the assignment for the day with Eric quietly, feeling Edward watching her again. She was going to need to talk to him.

XXXX

Charlie was home when she got home from work that night. Mike had complained about being partners with Edward for their entire shift. She explained that she was just as surprised as he was.

Her dad was in the kitchen standing over the stove when she came in. She came into the room silently and he didn't notice her. She came to stand next to him after she had taken off her backpack and jacket.

"You're making dinner?" she asked, her interest piqued.

"I remembered to take the lid off the jar. I'm doing everything you told me to do."

He was stirring the noodles when she grabbed a Coke from the refrigerator. She sat at the table reading the newspaper while he finished dinner.

Half an hour later they were eating dinner. Usually they would talk about each other's day during dinner. Tonight Charlie looked uneasy and not like himself at all.

"Is something wrong Dad?"

"I have some news."

"What?"

"I've decided to sell the house."

"Why?" she asked with wide eyes.

"You'll be going to college next year. This house is too big for just me."

"You've lived in this house since you were born. Do you really want to sell it?"

"It's the only way that you'll have money for college," he said logically.

"Dad I don't expect you to pay for college. I was going to pay for some of it."

"With what money?" he asked.

"I can apply for student loans. I can hold off going to college until I have some more money saved," she rattled off quickly.

"I want to pay for your college. It's the last thing that I'll be able to do for you before you go out into the real world."

"If this is the way you want it and you've already made up your mind I guess that I can't stop you."

"I'll get a two bedroom apartment, that way you can come home whenever you want," he said optimistically.

Bella nodded, touched that her dad was making such a huge sacrifice for her. She hoped that she was as good of a parent as he was when she had kids.

XXXX

Jacob stood outside the Clearwater house waiting for someone to answer the door. It was his and Leah's night to run patrol and he wasn't looking forward to it. Everyone else in the pack had seen her except him. He had heard that she wasn't adjusting well and that she was taking it out on the rest of the pack. He wasn't about to let her do that to him. He didn't know what to expect when the door opened a few seconds later.

"Hey," Seth said happily.

"Hey. Is your sister ready?"

"She'll be down in a minute. You can come in."

"Thanks," Jacob said with a smile.

Seth went back to cleaning the kitchen while Sue was reading in the living room. She called for Jacob and he stepped into the room.

"Sit down," she said with a smile.

He sat across from her as she set her book down.

"I want you to know that I am glad that you are one of the boys who phased. I don't blame you for turning down the role of Alpha either. It's too much to be put on your shoulders right now."

"I know," he said with a nod.

"I feel better knowing that Leah has you to turn to. The two of you used to be such good friends."

"I'll help her any way that I can."

"Thank you," she said with a grateful smile.

Leah could be heard coming down the stairs and he stood to meet her at the door. Their eyes met, and Leah gasped only loud enough for him to hear. The world stopped turning and his heart leaped into his throat. Everything faded away accept for her. His eyes widened in surprise as he realized what had just happened.

"What's going on?" she asked in a scared voice.

"We need to go to Sam and Emily's."

"I'm not going over there!" she said in defiance.

"Right, sorry. I guess we can ask your mom to explain," he offered.

"Explain what?"

"We just imprinted on each other."

"Are you kidding me?!" she asked in a panicked voice.

"I wasn't expecting it either, so don't act put out," he said as he walked back into the living room.

Leah followed him before he pulled out his phone. He called Embry and asked him to fill in for him then he called Paul. Paul had been reluctant until he explained what had happened.

"Are you going to Sam's?"

"She doesn't want to. I'm not going to force her. I'm going to call him next."

Jacob explained what was going on to Sue and she was elated. Jacob on the other hand, was more than a little scared. Leah wasn't ready for this; she didn't even want to be a part of the pack. Sue explained everything as best she could and answered all of their questions.

Sam called Jacob as he was walking home that night.

"How did it go?"

"Not great. I wasn't prepared for how hostel she would be."

"She isn't going to make things easy for you, but I know that you'll be patient with her."

"It would help if I knew the whole situation; I already know your side," he said with a stressed sigh.

"She doesn't open up for just anyone. You have to prove yourself to her."

"You aren't mad?"

"No. If you need any help with her, or have any questions, I'll do what I can," he offered.

"Thanks."

"Things will get better. She'll see that you didn't do this to hurt her, and that something good will come out of it."

He continued home to find his dad waiting up for him. Usually Rachel put him to bed early and he would be asleep by the time Jacob got home. Billy met him at the door when he came in.

"You're home early."

"I didn't run patrol."

"Why? Did Leah refuse to go?" he asked in concern.

"No. We imprinted on each other," Jacob mumbled.

"You've imprinted on Leah Clearwater?" Billy asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yeah," Jacob confirmed with a nod.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know. She's not the type of girl that I usually go for."

"I know that she isn't Bella, but that doesn't make her a bad person."

"I didn't say that she had to be like Bells Dad. I just wish that she wasn't so demanding," he said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"She has a lot of issues. You knew that before you imprinted on her."

"Why did I have to imprint on her? Why not Sam, or Paul?" he wondered out loud.

"Because they already have imprints, I'm sure that if they could trade with you that Sam would do it in a second, but you can't just think about yourself," Billy scolded.

"I don't understand this at all, but I'm not going to fight it."

"Good. I don't want you to worry; everything is going to be fine. The two of you used to be friends."

"I know, but things are different now."

"You need to tell Bella."

"Oh God," he said with a groan.

"What?"

"I told Bella that I loved her last night."

"Why would you do that?" Billy asked with a raised voice.

"She turned me down, don't worry."

"At least she was smart enough not to take you seriously."

"Oh, she took me seriously. She told me that if Paul weren't in the picture and that if I weren't a wolf that she would consider being with me."

"But Paul is in the picture and you are a wolf. Now that you've imprinted you can focus your attention on Leah."

"What are you still doing up?" Jacob finally asked.

"Sue called and said that you would need me when you got home."

"I'll handle it, bedtime young man," Jacob said sternly.

"You're a laugh riot," Billy said as Jacob pushed him down the hall.

Jacob was in his room ten minutes later. Someone knocked on his window as he changed. He pulled back the curtain to see Embry outside his window. He opened it and set his arms on the sill.

"Why aren't you running patrol?"

"Paul took over. He's at Bella's. Are you going to tell me why I had to cover for you?"

"Leah and I imprinted on each other tonight."

"You're imprint is Leah Clearwater? Man that sucks," he said sympathetically.

"It's gonna take some getting used to."

"How did she take it?"

"She's thrilled Em. How do you think she took it?" he asked sarcastically.

"How bad was it?"

"She threw a vase of flowers at me," Jacob said, shaking his head to try to clear the memory.

"She must really like you," Embry said sarcastically.

"I'm gonna go to bed. I have to run patrol before school to make up for tonight."

"See you later," Embry said with a wave.

Jacob shut the window and saw a shadow by his car as he was about to put the curtain back in place. Leah was sitting on the hood of his car with the moon casting its eerie glow on her. He opened the window again and climbed out. He jogged to the car while Leah slid off of it.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier."

"It's not a problem," he said, brushing her off.

"It's not like you asked for this to happen."

"No, I didn't. I was perfectly happy being alone," he said flatly.

"So was I. But we can't take it back now. So I suggest that we make the best of it," she reasoned.

"You mean you want us to get along?"

"It shouldn't be too hard. We used to get along great," she said with a shrug.

"Yes we did, but a lot has changed since then," he reminded her.

"I know that I am not the easiest person to get along with right now. I can change," she said giving him a pointed look.

He nodded as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Thank you for not saying anything bad about me to Embry."

"Why would I? You don't deserve that," he asked giving her cautious look.

"Actually I do, I tried to hurt you. Lucky for me you're a nice guy. Get some sleep; I'll be here at five to get you," she said before walking away.

He headed back into the house and was in bed a few minutes later. He wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. He would have to tell Bella sooner rather than later. He hoped that Paul hadn't told her. She would be happy for him, she would be glad that he had someone to make him happy. Things with Leah were going to be awkward for a while. They would just have to work through it and hopefully the outcome would be something that they could both agree on.

XXXX

Bella was watching TV in the living room when someone opened the door that night.

"You're late," she called.

"Who were you expecting?" Paul asked from the foyer.

"Not you, but I'm glad that you're here," she said rising from the couch.

"Jake and Leah couldn't make it," he said as she walked towards him.

"I figured that out when you answered me," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Are you disappointed?"

"No, why would I be disappointed?"

"I was just checking."

He leaned down, brushing her hair away from her face. Their lips met as her fingers threaded into his hair. He moaned against her lips, pleading for entrance. She opened her mouth to him, shutting out everything else. His hands rested on her hips as she moved closer to him.

Her body was flush against him as he walked them backwards into the living room. He pressed her against the back of the couch and he rested his hands on the couch to keep from knocking her over. She pushed at his shoulders, her chest heaving.

"I wish that would happen to you, just once."

"I wish it could too," he said quietly.

"So, why are you here? You were just here last night."

"Jake called me; something happened that he didn't plan on."

"Like what?"

"I can't tell you. He should be the one to tell you."

She nodded as she pushed him away. She walked around the couch while he climbed over the back. She leaned against him as she got lost in an old episode of Friends. His fingers skimmed her arms, not really interested in the show. Her head rested on his shoulder and he finally noticed what she was wearing.

"I didn't realize that you had a pair of shorts that short," he mused.

"I don't wear them unless it's really hot. But thank you for noticing," she said appreciatively.

"You feel comfortable wearing those around Jake?"

"He's practically my brother!" she said with a laugh.

"That's what I thought," he said cockily.

"Do they bother you?"

"Do you like torturing me?" he asked darkly.

"It is fun," she said with a smile.

"They don't bother me."

The show went off and she turned to face him. She watched him with questioning eyes. She knew that he was sexually active, but he hadn't told her how many girls there had been. Things were still new for them but the subject of sex should be brought up.

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Do I have to answer it if I don't want to?" he asked cautiously.

"No," she promised.

"Then ask me."

"How many girls have there been?"

"Six. I was in a relationship with one of them for two years before I changed," he said honestly.

"I was just curious," she said with a nod.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Did you use protection?"

"Always," he said without thinking twice.

"Then, no it doesn't."

"It bothered my last girlfriend. We broke up because of it."

"How many girls have you dated?"

"Three."

"Jeeze, you've slept with three girls and you didn't date them?" she asked with a laugh.

"I was only serious about one of them," he said flatly.

"Okay, I have to admit that bothers me just a little," she said with a nervous laugh.

"I'm not going to pressure you," he said.

"I know," she said as she nodded again.

"We won't even fool around until you're ready."

"Thank you," she said with a small smile.

He pulled her to him and rested his chin on her shoulder. Now that the subject was closed she realized that she had bitten off more than she could chew. Yes, he had a past. The fact that he was so open about it made her trust him even more. She realized that there was still so much about him that she didn't know. She wouldn't make any split decisions about going farther with him until she got to know him better.

XXXX

A familiar silver car was outside Bella's house when she woke up the next morning. Charlie had just gotten home from work, so if she went outside to talk to Edward he would more than likely hear her. She grabbed her phone and thought quickly of someone that she could text to come over and help her deal with him. Paul was out of the question, he had left half an hour earlier to go to work. Jacob was more than likely getting ready for school himself. She paused at a number and sighed, hoping that the person would be able to help her.

She stood just out of Edward's vision by the window. She sent a quick text and less than thirty seconds later the person texted her back telling her that they would be there as soon as they could. She would stay inside until they got there.

A few minutes later the person could be seen walking up the street. Edward's posture tensed as he stared up at Bella's window. She quickly slipped on a pair of pajama pants and shoes before meeting the person in the yard.

"Thank you for coming Leah."

"No problem," she said with a nod.

"You're a werewolf?" Edward asked.

"You got a problem with it?" Leah asked giving him a condescending look.

"I've never seen a female before."

"I'm the first of my kind. That doesn't mean that I can't dismantle you if you take one more step closer to her," she warned in an acid tone.

"What do you want Edward?"

"I have some questions."

"Then ask them," Leah said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Alice said that you were with one of them," he said gesturing towards Leah.

"What?" Leah asked turning to face Bella.

"We haven't been together long. I'm Paul's imprint."

"You poor, poor girl," Leah said shaking her head solemnly.

"What I do is none of your business Edward. You left me without so much as looking back. You wanted me to remain human, that's what I'm doing."

"There are risks involved, you have to see that," he rationalized.

"She has less chance of getting hurt by one of us than she does by you," Leah countered.

"She's right."

"I've seen Sam's imprint in Carlisle's mind. Don't you think that something like that can happen to you?"

"If it does then it won't be the first time someone has marked me," she reminded him.

"He can read minds?"

"Yes," Bella said with a nod.

"Good, then read mine," she said giving him an icy glare.

Bella looked from Leah to Edward then back again. Edward clenched his fists in anger as Leah gave him a look that dared him to say something. He shook his head before stalking to his car. He pulled away kicking up rocks as his tires spun out in the driveway.

"What did you say to him?"

"Don't worry about it. He won't be giving you anymore trouble."

"What did you do?"

"I called him every name I could think of before threatening him. He also knows what Paul looks like now."

"Bells, what are you doing out here?" Charlie called from the door.

"Great, he woke up my Dad," she said rolling her eyes.

"I'll see you later," Leah said taking off towards the tree line.

Bella walked back towards the house and Charlie was watching her with bleary eyes.

"Was someone here?" he asked sleepily.

"It was someone asking for directions."

"And they pulled into the driveway?"

"I told them they could. I didn't know that they were going to spin out."

"Come inside and get ready for school," he said opening the door wider.

She put what had happened outside behind her as she got in the shower. She would go to see the Cullen's after school and talk to them about keeping Edward away from her until everything blew over. They had to see that he wasn't himself. Hopefully he would see that he was wrong and they could be friends. She wanted to be friends with his entire family; it wasn't going to be easy if he was going to like a ten year old.


	9. The Turning of a corner

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Jacob hadn't seen Bella in almost a week. He had been spending most of his time with Leah. She had yet to open up to him, but he was making process. He knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but the outcome was worth all of the effort that he was putting into it. He stood on Bella's front porch on Friday night waiting for her to open the door.

"Since when do you knock?" she asked as she opened the door.

"I heard someone else in there with you. I didn't want to be rude."

"It's just Paul," she said laughing lightly.

"No wonder I didn't hear you talking," he said rolling his eyes.

"He's leaving, you can come in," she said opening the door.

Paul brushed passed him a few seconds later. Jacob shook his head with a smile before walking into the house.

"Finish saying goodbye to him."

"We've been saying goodbye for almost an hour. I was supposed to meet Jared twenty minutes ago," Paul said as he walked down the stairs.

Bella gave Jacob a sheepish smile as she shut the door. Jacob gave her a teasing smile before she smacked him in the chest. He draped an arm over her shoulders before leading her into the living room. She sat next to him, turning to face him.

"So what's up? I haven't seen you in a few days."

"Something has happened," he said forebodingly.

"What happened?" she asked as her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"I've imprinted."

"Jake, that's awesome," she said as her eyes lit up.

"I wanted to tell you without Leah."

"Leah? You've imprinted on Leah?" she asked as her eyes lit up with excitement.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you," he explained.

"Does she know that you were in love with me?"

"I still am."

"Jacob, do you know how much it would hurt her if she found out?" she admonished.

"I'm trying to get over you. It's taking longer than I planned on," he said with a sigh.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"I will, once things work themselves out," he promised.

"Did it happen the night that you two were supposed to come over?"

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"I'm okay with it. You made me think something was seriously wrong. Why would do that?" she asked smacking him in the chest once more.

"I didn't know how you would react. I'm glad that you're happy for us," he said with a laugh.

"Call Leah, invite her over. The three of us haven't hung out together in years."

He pulled out his phone while Bella went into the kitchen. He was closing it when she came back in.

"She can't come over," he said quietly.

"Why?"

"I have to go," he said as he stood.

"What's going on?"

"Seth just joined the pack," he said before walking out of the room.

"Call me later," she called as he shut the front door.

She fell onto the couch with a grunt. Why were more people joining the pack? Was it because the Cullen's had come back? She hoped that wasn't the reason. Only Sam and Paul had changed while they were there before. Now Seth had joined the pack. He was only eight the last time Bella had seen him. At fifteen he would be the youngest member of the pack. Something was going on, and she wished that she knew what it was.

XXXX

Charlie sat at the table on Saturday morning reading the paper when Bella came downstairs. She made herself a glass of orange juice before coming to sit at the table.

"Why didn't you tell me that the Cullen's were back?"

"I thought you knew. They've been back for over a week."

"So the kids are back in school?"

"Mm hmm," she said grabbing the Lifestyle section.

"Has Edward given you any trouble?" he asked in concern.

"Jasper and Alice have been keeping him away from me. I've only talked to him once."

"They weren't doing a good job of keeping him away from you then," he said flatly.

"They weren't with him," she said shaking her head.

"I ran into the older brother last night. I pulled him over for speeding."

"Emmett?" she asked with concern.

He nodded as he took a sip of his coffee. Emmett knew better than to let himself get caught. Something must have distracted him. They read the paper in silence until someone knocked on the door. Charlie let Sam and Paul in while she made breakfast. He had asked them to come over to look at the house to see if it needed any work before he put it on the market.

Charlie and Sam were upstairs while Paul took a look around downstairs. He came into the kitchen as Bella was frying eggs. He wrapped his arms around her from behind before kissing the side of her neck.

"Why is your dad selling the house?"

"He wants something smaller. He's talking about looking for an apartment."

"Why?"

"With me leaving for college in the fall he thinks that the house will be too empty."

"Hasn't he lived here his entire life?" he asked.

"Mm hmm," she answered as she flipped a piece of bacon.

He stepped away from her as her dad and Sam came down the stairs. He stood next to her chewing a piece of bacon as they came into the kitchen.

"Have you eaten?" she asked looking at Sam.

"No. Emily wasn't feeling well this morning. All I've had is coffee."

"There's plenty here. Grab a plate."

Paul showed him where they were before grabbing one of his own. The men talked about the house while Bella continued to read the paper. She was reading about an onslaught of disappearances in Seattle. There were over thirty people missing and so far there weren't any leads. How could thirty people disappear and no one see it? Her eyebrows furrowed in concern for all the peoples families.

"Are you alright Bells?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, I was just reading something," she said once she regained her composure.

"Was it the article about the people missing in Seattle?"

"Yes sir."

"I don't see how it's happening. People don't just vanish into thin air."

Bella nodded as she folded the paper. Charlie said that he needed to leave for work and Sam walked him out. Paul looked over at Bella with a worried look.

"People are disappearing in Seattle?"

"Thirty people in the past year, it's like they've just vanished without a trace."

"Didn't somebody disappear from around here last year?" he questioned.

"Yeah, back in April," she said absentmindedly as the news sank in.

"Do you think your dad will go up there?"

"He hasn't mentioned it," she said with a shake of her head.

Sam came back in with Jacob and Embry behind him. The three of them went into the living room and Bella looked at Paul curiously.

"The house needs a lot of work before it can be sold. We're going to need them."

"How long is it going to take?"

"Less than a month, you'll be staying with me or Jake on the nights that your dad works so that we can work on the house."

"Will I now?" she teasingly challenged.

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked giving her a pointed look.

"No," she said with a teasing smile.

"I'm going to take my written driver's test on Saturday. Sam said that he would take me."

"Do you think that you're ready?"

"I've been working with you and Emily for the past two weeks. I can recognize words better. My migraines are gone."

"As long as you think you're ready," she said with a smile.

"I'd like you to go with me, but I wasn't sure if you were working on Saturday."

"I'm not," she said with a shake of her head.

"Then I'll tell Sam that he doesn't have to take me."

"I'll help you study as much as I can, then first thing Saturday morning you and I are going to the DMV," she promised.

He stood and made his way to the living room. Bella gathered the dishes from breakfast and washed them before going upstairs to get ready for work. When she came downstairs Paul was the only one there. He walked her to the truck then pinned her against the door.

"I have wanted to do this since I got here," he said before leaning down.

He cupped her face in his hands before lightly pressing his lips to hers. Her fingers threaded in his hair without her realizing it. He stepped closer to her as he gripped her shoulders. She opened her mouth to him and his tongue assaulted hers. He pulled away giving her a lustful look.

"You should go. You're gonna be late."

"One more," she said leaning back in.

His chuckle was cut off by her lips. She kissed him hard, biting at his bottom lip until he opened his mouth to her. He growled deep in his chest before pulling away.

"You're late," he said looking down at her watch.

"I'm going," she said opening the truck door.

He stepped away watching her with a smile.

"Be here when I come home. We aren't finished," she said before pulling away.

Every time she was with him she felt closer to him. There were times like the one that had just happened that she didn't want to leave him. She wasn't in love, but she was falling fast.

XXXX

Bella was at work on Friday when Leah came in. She was in the back when she heard Mike say something and Leah answered him. Bella came from the hall to see Mike looking Leah up and down. He was taking her in, and he liked what he saw. Bella bit her lip to keep from smiling as she walked the last few feet to her. Leah had her back turned to Mike, giving Bella a 'Get this guy away from me' look. Mike crossed the few feet to stand in between them a few seconds later.

"Mike, this is Leah, she's Jake's girlfriend. Leah, this is Mike."

"You're dating Jake?" Mike asked as his face fell.

"Yes, I am," Leah said with a curt nod.

"Did you need something?"

"My mom wanted me to invite you to dinner at our house. Your dad is already there."

"Okay. I get off in an hour, I'll see you there."

"See you later," Leah said before walking around Mike.

"Bye," Mike called.

"Bye," Leah said over her shoulder.

"Why is it that all of the pretty ones like that kid?" he muttered as he scratched the back of his neck.

Bella's body shook with laughter as she walked back to the back of the store. She didn't want to point out to Mike that Jacob's appeal was all in how he carried himself. He was a nice guy who was funny and always there for her when she needed him. She couldn't ask for a greater best friend.

When she got to Leah's everyone else had already eaten. Sue heated up a plate for Bella while Seth pulled her in for a bone crushing hug.

"I didn't think that you would remember me," she said with a nervous laugh.

"That's the way he greets everybody," Leah said rolling her eyes.

"My dad and Charlie told me about you, Jake too," Seth said.

"I didn't hear you come in," Charlie said as Seth handed Bella off.

"I just got here."

"The kids were hungry and your dad hadn't eaten all day. So we ate already."

"That's fine."

Bella sat at the table with Leah on one side and Seth on the other. She and Leah talked and Seth interjected when he felt the need. It was like when they were kids. He still had an untapped amount of energy, and he still had the ability to make her laugh. It was hard to believe that he was a member of the pack. He was taking it a lot better than Jacob had.

Once she was done eating Leah pulled her back to her room. Seth tried to follow them and Leah shut the door in his face.

"Come on Leah, let me in!" he whined.

"He may be a member of the pack but he still acts like he's ten."

"I don't mind if he comes in," Bella said with a shrug.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's listening right outside. Just wait until I tell Embry and Jake how he's been acting."

There was a scuffle in the hall then Leah sighed in relief.

"That's more like it," she said as she sat on the bed.

"Is he really that bad?"

"You just don't know. You're lucky that you're an only child."

"How are things going with you and Jake?"

"They're going slow. I still can't open up to him. It's not that I don't trust him, because I know the kind of person that he is. I don't like hurting him, but I know that I am."

"He understands more than you think he does."

"He talks to you about us?" Leah asked slowly.

"Just like we are right now, I don't want you to make me choose sides. I won't tell you anything that he has told me, and I won't tell him anything that you tell me," she reassured her.

"Thank you. I feel better now that you've said that."

"Am I really the only person who knows how you really feel about what happened?"

"Yes. And until I am ready I would like it to stay that way," Leah said with a sigh.

"It will."

"It's good that we get to talk face to face now. I don't have very many friends in college."

"Are you going back?"

"When things settle down," she said, dragging a hand through her hair.

The girls talked well into the night before Bella realized that the sun was coming up.

"Crap. I'm supposed to go to the DMV with Paul this morning. He wanted to be there when they open. I need to sleep."

"I have to run patrol. Feel free to crash here."

"My dad already thinks that I'm sleeping here anyway."

"I'll go by Paul's and tell him that you are here," Leah said before walking out of the room.

"See you later."

She was in the bed when the window a few feet away slid open. Paul climbed through the window and she watched him through sleepy eyes.

"Go to sleep," he said sliding into the bed.

"Does Leah know that you're here?"

"Yes. She told me that if I even tried to do anything to you in her bed that she would castrate me."

"I guess you had better keep your hands to yourself then," she said burrowing underneath the covers.

He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on her arm before closing her eyes again. She was asleep a few minutes later.

XXXX

She hadn't planned on the DMV being so packed. They had been one of the first people there, but the person who gave the driver's tests didn't come in for another half an hour. There wasn't an empty seat anywhere. They called Paul's number and he went to the registration desk with the paperwork that they had given him to fill out. Bella had to help him with it but she hadn't minded.

Someone stood next to Bella asking if the empty seat was taken.

"It is. I'm sorry," she said apologetically.

"That's fine. I think I see one in the back," The woman said before walking away.

Paul came back with more paperwork to fill out and Bella helped him as much as she could.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" she questioned.

"I'm positive," he said with determination.

"They like using big words. I can see that," she said dauntingly.

"That's why you're here."

"They shouldn't do that on the test. They didn't when I had to take mine last year."

"I thought you got your license while you were in Arizona."

"I had my learners in Arizona. That's when I learned how to drive."

"So you had to take your driver's test here?"

"Yeah," she said as she read over the paperwork.

Paul's number was called just as he was finishing with the paperwork.

"Good luck," she said squeezing his hand.

"I'm gonna need it," he said squeezing her hand back.

Bella watched him walk to a room off the side and let go of the breath she was holding. She was nervous enough for the both of them. She hadn't gotten much sleep. He had woken her up an hour after she had fallen asleep because they were running behind. Her eyes fluttered closed before she slouched in her seat and rested her head against the back of the chair. She fell asleep within seconds.

Paul ran a hand down her arm to wake her up an hour later. She groaned before opening her eyes. He looked down at her, giving her an easy smile.

"How did you do?"

"I have my learner's, that's what matters," he said with a sigh.

"Do you have to wait for anything else?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm done," he said with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry for falling asleep."

"It's fine. Let's go back to your house so you can get some sleep."

"My dad is off today, and Billy and Jake are going to be there."

"Then we'll go to my house and you can sleep there."

"Aren't you supposed to start working on the house today?"

"Monday," he said shaking his head again.

She gave him the keys and he was able to navigate the truck back to his house with ease. She moved to open her door in a daze but he told her to wait. He was at her side opening the door less than a second later. He picked her up from the seat and held her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder as he walked them through the yard.

In the house Paul said something to Bo and the dog's nails clicked across the wooden floor.

"No," he said firmly before closing the bedroom door.

"He can come in," she said quietly.

"You asked for it," he said opening the door.

The dog was on the bed when Paul set Bella down a few seconds later.

"Leave her alone," he told the dog.

A deep sigh could be heard as he covered her with the blanket. He was in the bed with her before her head could hit the pillow. She gave him a small smile before closing her eyes. She felt the bed move and the dog was between them a few seconds later.

"He's fine," she mumbled.

Bo got situated on the bed before laying flush against her. She patted him absentmindedly as Paul watched with an amused look. Her hand stilled a minute later and she finally fell asleep. Paul continued watching her wondering how he had gotten so lucky. She was the most patient, accepting, forgiving person he had person he had ever met. Everyone said that he had changed once she came into the picture. Most of the imprints weren't like her. Emily was an angel, but even she wasn't like Bella. He could have an imprint like Leah. He thanked God every day that Leah wasn't his imprint. He didn't have that kind of patience. He felt sorry for Jacob when he saw the two of them together. They were complete opposites.


	10. Life Can Be Unfair Sometimes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Bella had been looking forward to seeing Paul all day. She hadn't seen him in almost a week. Most of her nights were spent with Leah and Sue while the guys worked on the house. The house needed more work than they had originally thought. Once they started working they had found out that there was termite damage from where termites had infested the house last summer. She planned on meeting him at her house so that she could see him for a little while before she had to head to the Clearwater's.

Their driveway was empty and the house was silent when she walked in. He had promised that he would be there when she got home from school. She tossed her bag on the table before turning to grab a drink from the refrigerator. She saw the note stuck to it when she shut the door.

_Can't make it today, something came up. Come and see me tomorrow?_ Paul's quick handwriting spread across the entire torn piece of paper. She sighed as she threw it away. She pulled out her phone and dialed Jacob's phone number. It went straight to voicemail making her wonder what was going on. It wasn't like Jacob to not answer his phone. She tried Leah next and got the same response.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she waited for the beep so that she could leave a message.

"Hey, it's me. I was just wondering what you wanted to do tonight. You're probably tired of me always being around but just remember, it's only for a little while longer. Let me know," she said before hanging up.

Her cell phone rang while she was eating an apple at the table a few minutes later. She quickly swallowed before sliding her phone open.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Leah said.

"What's up?"

"Not much. I was just calling to tell you that you shouldn't come over tonight."

"I understand."

"Someone joined the pack in the middle of the night last night."

"Who was it?" Bella asked in a small voice.

"Quil Atearra, have you met him?"

"A couple times," Bella said with a sigh.

"He's taking it really hard. He's scared out of his mind. He won't let anyone except Jake and Embry come near him."

"I guess that's why Jake didn't answer his phone."

"Sam wanted me to tell you that the guys are coming over tomorrow and they'll work the whole day to make up for today."

"There goes my plan to spend the day with Paul. I haven't seen him all week."

"He has the day off tomorrow," Leah explained.

"Aren't you glad that they were nice enough to not make you help with the house?"

"Oh trust me, I am. I am so glad to be the only girl in a pack full of very polite boys," Leah said with a laugh.

They talked for a few more minutes before Leah said that she had to go. Bella went up to her room and flopped onto her bed with a grunt. Why had Quil phased? Victoria was gone and the Cullen's weren't a threat. She didn't understand why more people were joining the pack when the threat was over.

She heard her dad come home as light was fading from her room. He made his way upstairs quietly before standing at her door. He watched her with worried eyes.

"I brought dinner home," he said getting her attention.

"I'll be down later. I'm not hungry right now."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking," she said with a listless sigh

"It must have been about something pretty bad. I haven't seen a look like that on someone since your mom left," he said quietly.

"A friend got some bad news. I'm just worried about them."

"I'm sure everything will be fine. Which friend was it?"

"I don't think you know him. His name is Quil."

"He's friends with Jake isn't he?"

"Yes sir."

"I've met him a couple times. Good kid, really polite," Charlie said with a nod.

"He's sweet," Bella said with a sad smile.

"I'm gonna go lay down before I have to go to work," Charlie said pushing away from the door.

"Is it alright if I stay at the Clearwater's tonight? Sam said that they were going to be here early in the morning and were going to work through the day to make up for not coming today."

"Sure. I had planned on crashing at Billy's tomorrow anyway," he said with a nod.

She waited until his door shut before grabbing her phone. She sent a text to Paul and he answered her within seconds. He was still with Sam and wouldn't be home until late. That gave her time to do what she had planned on.

XXXX

Leah climbed through Jacob's open window just after midnight. He stirred as she slipped into bed beside him.

"Hey," he said sleepily.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"You okay?"

"Not really. I don't understand why Quil phased. He isn't cut out for this."

"He can be taught," Jacob said as he propped his head on his arm.

"Can you hold me?" she asked turning to face him.

His arms slid around her waist and she buried her face in his neck. Their heartbeats thudded against one another in the silence. He had all the same fears for Quil that she did. It was a rule that a descendant of the current chief joined the pack which Jacob thought was a stupid rule. Quil was the only grandchild in his family so he got the short end of the stick.

Leah tightened her grip on him before relaxing against him. He sighed wishing that things could be different. They had gotten closer in the past few weeks. It was normal for her to climb through his window on the nights when she didn't run patrol. She let her guard down easier now. She hadn't told him her side of the story between her and Sam but he knew that it would happen soon. Whenever she decided to tell him he would be there for her, because that was what she needed.

XXXX

Bella sat in the chair in the living room with her legs draped over the side and her head resting against the other arm of the chair. She had been there for almost three hours and the house was as silent as a tomb. Bo lay on the floor in front of the chair with his head resting on his paws. He had met her at the truck when she got out with his tail wagging happily.

Dinner was in the oven waiting to be warmed up once Paul got home. The front door opened and Bella and Bo lifted their heads at the same time. Paul gave her an easy smile as he shook his head.

"What?" she asked with a questioning look.

"I was just thinking about how you have my dog wrapped around your finger."

"He's a good dog," Bella said scratching Bo's neck.

The dog yawned loudly as Paul made his way across the room. He stood behind the chair staring down at her with questioning eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked quietly.

"I wanted to see you," she said as she reached up to put a hand on his arm.

"Does your dad know that you're here?"

"He thinks that I'm at Leah's."

"Have you told him that we're together?"

"Not yet. He doesn't think very highly of you as it is because of what happened when we first met."

"I could kill Jake for telling him," he said with a heavy sigh.

"He didn't tell him the truth."

"He still told him that I tried to attack you."

"Things are different now. You two are getting along better."

"It only took us two and half months," he said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"That doesn't matter."

"When do you have to be home?"

"Not until tomorrow."

"You mean I have you for the whole night?" he asked as his eyes lit up.

"That's right," she said with a smile.

He sighed before pulling her hand off of his arm. He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door to look for something.

"I brought dinner," she said as she stood from the chair.

Bo followed her to the oven. She turned it on before leaning against the counter. Paul stood in front of her boxing her in. Her arms slid around his neck as he stepped into the embrace. His stomach rumbled against hers and she gave him a teasing smile.

"I haven't eaten today," he said sheepishly.

"I figured you hadn't."

"Sam and I didn't get back to his house until late and by then Emily was already asleep."

"How is Quil?"

"Who told you?" he asked as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Leah."

"He's doing better. Once his granddad got home from work he was able to calm him down enough that he would come down and talk to me and Sam."

"That's good."

"He asked about you," he said with questioning eyes.

"I figured he would," she said with a short laugh.

"He was pretty upset when I told him that I had imprinted on you," he mentioned.

"He had a crush on me when we first met," she explained.

"That's what he said," he confirmed.

She leaned up to kiss him feeling him lift her off of the ground. He set her on the counter then rested his hands on the counter on either side of her. His teeth pulled at her bottom lip pleading for entrance. She opened her mouth for him before threading her fingers in his hair.

After a few minutes she smelt something burning. She pushed him away quickly before hoping down off the counter. She opened the oven door then grabbed an oven mitt. She pulled the pizza out of the oven to notice that it was nearly burnt.

"It's a good thing I like my pizza crispy," he teased.

"You distracted me," she growled.

"Can I help it if you are easily distracted?" he asked with a laugh.

"Don't act like you didn't have anything to do with it," she glared at him over her shoulder.

He laughed as he shook his head. He grabbed a plate from the cabinet as she cut the pizza. He came to stand behind her and she stepped back into his waiting arms.

"Thank you," he said before kissing behind her ear.

She tilted her head so that she could kiss his cheek before he pulled away. They sat at the island with Bo sitting in between them as he ate silently. Five minutes later he was pulling her to the bedroom. She went to change in the bathroom while he changed in the bedroom. She came out of the bathroom to find him already in bed. She crossed the room silently and slid beneath the blanket.

She moved closer to him as the dog climbed onto the bed. Paul lay on his back while Bella lay on her side. She placed her head on his chest hearing his heartbeat beneath her ear. His warmth enveloped her and she sighed before closing her eyes. She felt safe when she was with him. She knew that he would stop at nothing to protect her. All of the wolves were like that in a way, but Paul went out of his way to make sure that she was cared for. It went beyond being his imprint; she was a piece of him that he hadn't realized that he was missing.


	11. A Very Close Call

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. But I do own the idea for how Alice became a Vampire.**

Bella woke to feel someone's eyes on her. She opened her eyes slowly and a dark figure slowly came into focus. She rubbed her eyes with a sigh when Jacob came from out of the shadows.

"What are you doing here? It's after two."

"You knew that Leah was pregnant when Sam broke up with her to be with Emily," he accused.

"Yes," she said quietly as she turned the light on.

"Sam has a son somewhere that he doesn't know about," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Leah asked me not to tell you."

"Never in a million years would I think that was what she was hiding," he said as he dug his palms into his eyes.

"It took her a lot of courage to tell you."

"How did you find out?"

"She went to school in Arizona, not far from where I lived. I ran into her one day and she needed someone to talk to, even if it was a fifteen year old who wouldn't understand."

"She plans on telling Sam when he gets back this weekend."

"I know it's hard to see it now, but one day when their son is old enough he's going to want to know about his parents. You're going to be the man that she made a life with, not Sam. You can't look back on it and regret that it happened. If you do it's going to eat you alive."

"How do you know that?"

"Because that's what happened to Phil when he and my mom first got together. It took Phil three years to deal with it before he finally accepted that he wouldn't have any children of his own. You and Leah will eventually. Do you know how lucky you are?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Jacob said with a sigh.

Bella wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him to her and rubbed his back soothingly. He rested his head on her shoulder before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"What are friends for?" she asked as she lay down on the bed, pulling him with her.

"Hopefully Paul doesn't come by and get the wrong idea," he mumbled.

"If he does, I'll set him straight."

She continued to rub his back as she felt his breathing slow. She fell back to sleep with his heart beating steadily against hers.

XXXX

The sun was shining through her window when she woke up the next morning. Jacob was still asleep with his arms wrapped around her. She moved out of his embrace gently, careful not to wake him. She made her way downstairs to see that her dad had already left to go fishing.

"I wasn't sure if I should call Paul and tell him about the boy in your bed or not," Alice said from the table.

"God, you scared me!" Bella said.

"Is that Jacob?"

"Yes. He got some news last night that was hard for him to deal with."

"He had you in a death grip. I was going to wake you, but I didn't want to take the chance of waking him up too. He must be pretty worn out if he didn't wake up when I climbed through the window."

"The threat is over, so he had his guard down."

"How does it feel to not have to look over your shoulder in fear?"

"Wonderful," she said with a sigh.

"Why exactly did you call me to come over?"

"I am going to have a conversation with my dad when he gets home. I was hoping to have Jasper here, but I didn't think that he would come over."

"You're right, he probably wouldn't have. So you need a voice of reason?"

"It's more like I need a buffer. My dad doesn't get mad when you're around."

"Is everything okay down there?" Jacob called from the top of the stairs.

"You can come down."

"Who's down there with you?"

"Alice Cullen," Bella said as she walked to the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm gonna go put my shirt on," he said.

"Don't do that on my account. I've already seen you without it," Alice called.

Jacob came down as Bella was making him a mixing bowl of cereal. She set it in front of him as he sat in her dad's chair. He started to eat while Alice watched him. He smiled bashfully before spooning another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"How long have the two of you been friends?"

"Since I was four and he was two. We lost touch while I was in Arizona, but we picked up where things left off when I came back. It was like I had never been gone."

"I had a friend like that as a child. Her name was Claudia; she lived next door to us until we were thirteen. I saw her just before I got sick and we were starting to be friends again," she said sadly.

"And then your mother had you committed?" Bella asked in concern.

"My mother was a very controlling woman. I wasn't the kind of daughter that she wanted, so she found a way to sweep me underneath a rug so to speak," Alice explained as casually as she could.

"Your mom had you put in a hospital?" Jacob asked.

"She didn't know any better. All she knew was that I saw things that other people couldn't. Luckily Carlisle found me before I could do damage to myself."

"She sounds like she should win mother of the year," Bella said as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm gonna go. I told Leah that I would come by this morning," Jacob said as he washed his bowl out.

"Remember what I said," Bella warned from next to him.

"It was nice to finally meet you," Alice said politely.

"You too," Jacob said with a nod.

Charlie came in as Jacob was leaving. Bella asked him to come into the kitchen and Alice stood to greet him.

"Well, this is a surprise," Charlie said when Alice hugged him.

"I hadn't seen you since I came back. I'm making you and Bella breakfast."

"Alright," Charlie agreed as he sat down at the table.

"I need to talk to you about a couple of things."

"You never have good news when you need to talk to me with someone else around," Charlie said giving her an even look.

"It's nothing bad, but I would like it if you kept an open mind."

"Go on," Charlie said with a nod.

"I've decided to hold off on going to college until next year."

"Why?" he asked skeptically.

"I want to take a year off. It's not like I'm not going at all, even if I only go to Junior College."

"You don't even know what you want to major in yet," Charlie pointed out.

"Actually I do. I want to be a grief counselor or maybe a social worker."

"Those are good professions I guess. What's the other thing?"

"I'm seeing someone."

"It's not Edward, is it?"

"No sir. It's Paul."

"That's just as bad," he said with a sigh.

"You hardly know him. You won't even give him a chance?"

"He's too old for you Bells," he said bluntly.

"Mom is five years older than you," she pointed out.

"And look how well that turned out. The only good thing that came out of it is you."

"I care about him."

"You cared about Edward too."

"Paul is different. We've been together for a month and he hasn't caused one problem. He's even helping with the house."

"I don't know if I like that we're having this conversation with your ex-boyfriends sister around," Charlie said nervously.

"I am pro Paul. I think he's very nice," Alice said as she mixed pancake batter.

"She's a great judge of character," Bella said giving her dad a reassuring look.

"I guess that I could give him a chance as long as you answer something for me. Is he the reason that you want to wait a year before starting college?"

"No, he isn't. I made that decision at the start of the school year. That's why there haven't been any college applications coming in the mail."

"Bring him around more often."

"I will."

"Breakfast is ready," Alice said sitting two plates on the table.

"That was fast," Charlie said adding sugar to his coffee.

Alice shrugged before running water in the sink. She busied herself with washing the dishes that she had used then cleared the table once Bella and Charlie were done. Charlie went upstairs to get ready for work while Bella went up to her room. Alice was gone by the time they came downstairs half an hour later.

"I should be home by eight."

"I had planned on staying at Leah's," Bella said as she grabbed her keys off the table.

"Alright, then I'll see you in the morning."

"Have a good day. Be careful."

"You too," he said before heading out the door.

Paul and everyone else were pulling up when Bella came out of the house to leave for work. Everyone went inside while Bella stood on the porch with Paul. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck with a smile.

"I told my dad this morning."

"What did he say?"

"He's okay with it. He thinks you're too old for me. He doesn't want what happened to him and my mom to happen to me."

"Don't you feel better know that he knows?" he asked rationally.

"I do. There's some pancakes and bacon on the stove. Alice made way too much for my dad and me this morning."

"It will probably be gone by the time I get in there," he said with a soft laugh.

"Then I'll make you breakfast for dinner tonight," she promised.

"Yeah?" he asked with a tranquil smile.

"Yep, I'm staying with you again."

"Does your dad know?"

"I told him that I was staying at Leah's. I know that he won't be happy that I'm staying with you."

"We'll talk about that later," he said before leaning down to kiss her gently.

She pulled away when she heard a crash in the kitchen.

"Tell whoever that is that they had better clean it up," she said before pulling away.

He watched her get into her truck and she waved at him before pulling off. He waved back with a smile before going inside. Inside, Seth was cleaning up the broken glass that was scattered across the kitchen floor.

"What happened?"

"It was wet; it slipped right out of my hands," Seth said sheepishly.

"Be more careful next time," Paul said as he patted him on the back.

Paul went upstairs to Bella's room where the furniture had been moved so that they could paint the room. Jacob was pouring paint into a paint tin while Embry spread a tarp on the floor.

"I can do that Embry. Why don't you go start taking the boards off the stairs so that I can put the new ones on?"

"Sure," Embry said before leaving the room.

Jacob had his back to him stirring the paint while Paul watched him.

"Where were you last night? I tried to call you twice."

"I was here. I must have slept right through it."

"Why were you here?"

"I needed a friend," Jacob said with a shrug.

Paul nodded, letting the subject drop. If something serious had been wrong Bella would have told him. He would just have to be more trusting when it came to Jacob. He wasn't blind, he knew that the kid had feelings for Bella before he imprinted on Leah. They had still been there for a while afterwards, but now the feelings seemed to have turned towards Leah, even if they weren't as strong. He was just glad that Bella had been smart enough not to lead Jacob on.

XXXX

The house was quiet except for the sounds of the TV from downstairs. His eyes scanned the room meticulously, wanting to memorize every part of it. He knew that he was supposed to wait for Victoria's command, but he hadn't heard from her in over three weeks. It was time that he took matters into his own hands.

It hadn't taken him long to find out where the girl lived. There were only two listings for the last name Swan in the phone book and he knew that the other address couldn't have been hers. His fingers ran over the bed slowly, pausing to hold the dream catcher in his palm.

He would need something to take back to the others so that they would know her scent. He scrunched up his nose in disgust when the smell of wet dog mixed with hers. He would have to be careful not to alarm the animal when he went downstairs. His eyes scanned the room once more until he saw a laundry basket by the open closet door.

He rifled through it, looking for something that would draw everyone's attention. It had to be something that she had worn recently so that her scent would still be fresh. His hand paused on a flannel shirt. He brought it to his nose and his throat was overcome with fire. Her scent was sweet, making him wish that she were there.

He headed down the stairs quietly towards the sound of the TV. A man slept on the couch with a magazine lying open on his chest. He leaned over him, taking in his scent. His scent wasn't as appealing as the girls. He smelled of a man who spent a lot of his time outdoors.

The desire to kill the man was strong, but he knew that he shouldn't. He didn't want to raise any red flags before the time was right. He pulled away slowly; satisfied that he had been able to control himself. Victoria would have been proud of him.

He made his way back to the girl's room and was out the window ten minutes after he had climbed in. With his job done, he had a little time before the sun came up. Maybe he would check in on his family while he was in town. He had missed them terribly after Victoria had changed him. He worried about his mother and younger brother and sisters from time to time.

He climbed through the window of his old bedroom and the lamp by the bed flicked on. His ten year old brother stared at him with wide eyes. He put a finger to his lips to silence the boy when he opened his mouth to speak.

"No one can know that I am here."

The boy nodded his head quickly as the man made his way across the room. The boys smell almost over powered him and he had to stop at the foot of the bed.

"What are you doing in here?"

"I come in here sometimes when I can't sleep. Being around your things helps me sleep."

His eyes scanned the room to see that the room hadn't changed since he had last seen it.

"Where have you been?" The boy asked curiously.

"Seattle. You cannot tell anyone that you saw me. Do you understand Darrin?"

"Yes, I understand. Momma and Daddy are still looking for you."

"I know they are," The man said with a nod.

"Why are your eyes red?"

"I am not the same person I was when I left here. That does not mean that I love you any less."

"I love you too Riley."

"Is Elisa still here, or is she away at college?"

"Momma wouldn't let her to go to college. She didn't want her to turn up missing."

"I'm going to see the girls. I promise that I will see you again before I leave. Now go to sleep," Riley said with a kind smile.

"I want a hug."

Riley paused at the door and fear gripped him. He should have known that Darrin would ask him for a hug. He would have to push his feelings aside and do what the boy asked. He wished more than anything that things could be different. He couldn't go back and change them now. He walked back to the bed and knelt down to his brother's level. His smile was back as he leaned in to wrap his arms around the boy's thin body. He pressed his lips to his forehead with a sigh before pulling away.

"You're so cold," Darrin said.

"I know; I'm sorry. There's nothing that I can do about it. Go to sleep now."

"Okay," The boy said sleepily.

Riley left the room and paused outside the door across the hall. His parents deep, even breathing came from inside as he quietly pushed the door open. The TV was on, casting a white glow on his parents sleeping forms. He wanted so badly to pull his mother into his arms and hold her, but he knew that it wouldn't be possible. It had taken everything he had not to bite Darrin when he had hugged him. He stared at them sadly before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

The door at the end of the hall was open and he walked in to see the oldest of his younger sisters asleep with her body turned towards him. He reached out to touch her forehead but stopped himself when he realized that he shouldn't. They had been the closest of all of the children not only because she was only three years younger than him but because they shared the same views on everything. He could tell her anything and he knew that she wouldn't tell anyone. He left the room because seeing her had been too much for him to take. The door next to Elisa's was closed, but he could hear his baby sister's quiet warbling.

Brytini had only been a few months old, and a complete surprise to everyone when he had seen her last. He opened the door silently, not knowing what to expect. All of the others hadn't changed since he had seen them last. There was no doubt in his mind that his baby sister had changed in the year since he had seen her.

He crossed the room to see the little girl sitting up in her crib. She looked up at him with curious eyes before letting out a quiet whimper.

"Please don't cry little one. I won't hurt you," he said brushing a finger down her cheek tenderly.

She looked just like Elisa and their mother; the same big blue eyes that he had as a human stared back at him. He wished that he could hold her, but that was out of the question. He watched her in panic as she started to whimper again.

"Shh," Riley said soothingly.

She started to wail as he frantically looked for her bottle so that maybe she would settle down. He found it underneath the blanket and found that it was empty. He growled deep in his throat as she reached out for him to hold her. He held his breath as he picked her up and immediately noticed that she was wet. He carried her to the changing table and changed her quickly before carrying her out into the hall. His door opened and he quickly ushered Darrin back inside.

He made Brytini a bottle and she took it from him as soon as he held it out to her. He ran back up the stairs quicker than he had ever run before and laid her gently in her crib. He covered her with the blanket and her eyes closed almost immediately. He was back in his room within seconds.

"I told you to go to sleep," he said sternly.

"I didn't think that you were still here. I was going to get her," Darrin said as he looked down at his hands.

"I promised that I would say goodbye to you before I left. Have I ever gone back on a promise?"

"No," The boy said with a shake of his head.

"I won't be able to come back again. I want you to know that I love all of you and I miss you terribly."

"I can't even tell Elisa that you were here?"

"No," he said as he opened the window once more.

"Bye," Darrin said sadly.

"Bye," Riley said before climbing out the window.

Going there had been a mistake. He would want to come back even more now that he knew how much his younger brother was hurting. He would have to be more careful about checking to see if anyone was up the next time. Victoria said that he was weak for being so nice and gentle with the younger newborns. His love for his brother and the baby had carried over into his new life. It was something that he refused to change.

XXXX

Bella lay next to Paul on her side facing him. He faced her and there wasn't an inch of space between them. Her arms were wrapped around his neck in her sleep and one of his arms was draped over her hip. He felt someone's presence almost immediately. He pulled away from her and she stirred.

"Go back to sleep," he said before kissing her forehead.

"Where are you going?"

"There's someone outside. I'll be right back," he said pulling his shorts on.

"Be careful," she said tiredly.

"Stay inside," he warned before pulling the door slightly closed behind him.

He walked through the house quietly, nearly tripping over Bo when he stopped in front of him with a snarl. The cloyingly sweet smell of syrup burned his nose and his defenses went up.

"Go protect Bella," he said sternly before opening the door.

Bo's nails clicked across the wooden floor as Paul closed the door. He stood on the porch looking out into the darkness. He couldn't see anyone in the yard, so whoever it was, they were hiding.

"I know someone is out here. You smell like you took a shower with sugar water."

"You're smell isn't that pleasing either dog," Someone said from the side of the house.

Paul jumped off the porch and made his way around the side of the house. There was only one Cullen that he hadn't met. He had hoped that he would never meet Edward but he should have known that he was wishful thinking.

"How did you find her?" Paul asked.

"Jacob told me that she was here."

"Why are you here?"

"There was an intruder at her house tonight."

"Someone broke into her house? Is Charlie alright?"

"He slept through the whole thing. Whoever it was, they left their smell everywhere. It was definitely a vampire."

"Why did they send you?"

"I offered. I wanted to make sure for myself that she was alright," Edward said indifferently.

"She's never been safer than she is right now. How did you find out that someone had been there?"

"I went over there to talk to her," Edward said quietly.

"You planned to sneak in yourself, after she had asked you to leave her alone?" Paul asked as his blood boiled.

"I wanted to see her. She won't come near me any other way," he explained quickly.

"That's because she doesn't want to. The next time I hear about you attempting to talk to her I will rip you apart," Paul threatened.

"Keep her inside. Jacob and I are going to check the reservation," Edward said coolly before walking away.

It figures that Jacob would become friends with the only other person that he didn't like. Paul walked back into the house and found Bella at the island with a mug cradled in her hands.

"What's wrong?"

"I heard what the two of you were talking about."

"You did?" Paul asked in panic.

"Did you forget that the bedroom window was open?"

"I had planned on telling you. I wouldn't keep something like that from you."

"I know. God, why is this happening? I thought that the threat was over when you and Jake killed Victoria," she said as tears formed in her eyes.

"I don't know," he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

She set her mug down before falling against him. He rested his chin on top of her head as she tried to control her breathing. She wasn't crying, but she had come close for a few seconds.

"When did Jacob become friends with him?"

"Jacob hates him just as much as you do. I guess Jacob offered to help him so that you could stay here with me."

"You're right, I didn't think of that," he asked as he pulled away from her.

She sighed deeply as she wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. She hated that things were starting all over again. The two of them had taken three steps forward and now it felt like they were taking ten steps back. When would all of this end? Who was causing it?

"Things are going to are to be different this time," he promised.

"How do you know?"

"Because I will not stop until I kill every person that is after you. Even if that means that I have to kill a Cullen."

"You would do that?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I've done it twice and I will do it again," he said pulling her to him again.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Enough excitement for one night, let's go back to bed."

"I don't know if I'll be able to go back to sleep," she said, letting him lead her to the bedroom.

"Then we'll stay up," he said as he pulled back the blanket for her.

He always did that for her. No one had done that for her since she was a little girl. Her grandmother Swan used to do it when she would come to stay with her. Her grandmother lived in a retirement community just outside of town. Charlie and Bella went to see her at least once a week. She got situated next to him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

After what had just happened sleep was the last thing on her mind. She lay on her side facing Paul with him lying on his back. The silence that fell between them was welcomed. Bo snored softly from his place on the floor on Bella's side of the bed. Paul's hand ran down her arm soothingly and she sighed. He could calm her down just as easily as she could calm him down. She was his voice of reason when he tried to talk her into some pretty sketchy situations. He had only succeeded once. She had yet to live down the skinny dipping incident from the last time she had stayed with him.

Jared had been a gentleman and turned around while she dressed while Paul had stared at her like he was ready to throw her down on the sand and have his way with her. They laughed about it now, but at the time she had sworn that she would never do it again. It was empty vow, she knew that if he suggested it again that she would do it without thinking twice.


	12. Fire and Ice

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Bella felt like she was under house arrest. She couldn't even go to the get the mail without feeling that someone was watching her. The Cullen's took turns watching her during the day while she spent most nights with Paul. She was at her wits end, constantly looking over her shoulder in fear.

She'd had a bad day at school and to make matters worse it was Edward's turn to look after her. He stayed in the woods most of the time. She would see him in the yard staring up at her window forlornly at least once an hour. Once he would spot her watching he would head back to the tree line.

Edward was the one causing tension between them. Bella had trouble trusting him. He wouldn't listen to reason so maybe it was time for a little tough love. She pulled on one of Paul's sweatshirts that he had left in her room before going outside.

"Edward, I know that you can hear me. I want to talk to you," she said from the porch.

Edward came out of the trees a few seconds later. Bella sat on the steps watching him.

"Do you have to wear that? It smells like him," he said with a sigh.

"That's the point I am trying to get across to you. I am with someone else now, and there is nothing that you can do to change it."

"He's dangerous," he cautioned.

"So are you," she countered.

"Does the time we spent together mean nothing to you?"

"Of course it does, but it will never be that way again."

"You won't even consider giving me a chance?"

"I am his mate; I am physically and emotionally tied to him."

"You were like that with me once," he reminded her with pleading eyes.

"No I wasn't. You said it yourself; I was under your spell. That spell was broken when I finally admitted to myself that I could live without you," she said, shaking her head in disagreement.

"So you're saying that you didn't love me?"

"I thought I did, but it was part of the illusion. My relationship with Paul is real. It is based on actual feelings."

"I love you, does he?"

"I don't know. He's guarded with his emotions," she said with a sigh.

"You can go," Jacob said from behind Edward.

"We are talking," Edward said glaring at him over his shoulder.

"It sounds to me like you're trying to put doubts into her head. Let me tell you something blood sucker, she doesn't need more added stress piled on her. If you don't leave now I'll make sure that you never see her again."

"Edward, go," Bella said, sighing again.

"My family wants to start training as soon as the moon is up."

"We'll be there," Jacob said with a nod.

Jacob sat next to Bella on the steps and she leaned against him.

"Why did you come out here to talk to him? You knew what would happen," he chastised.

"I thought that I could talk some sense into him," she reasoned.

"Well, you gave it the old college try but you should have known better. He's more stubborn than Paul."

"Thank you for coming over," she said appreciatively.

"It was nothing. Your dad will be here in a few seconds. I knew you wouldn't want him to see Edward."

Sure enough, as soon as Jacob was done talking Charlie's cruiser pulled in the driveway. Bella and Jacob stayed where they were while Charlie watched them curiously. He walked up the walkway taking in Bella's weary expression.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She's had a long day," Jacob answered.

"I'm emotionally drained Dad."

"Would Paul have something to do with that?" Charlie asked as he sat on the step below them.

"No Daddy," she said quietly.

"Why don't you go home, Jake? I can take care of her."

"Actually Dad, Jake and I have plans tonight."

"You do?"

"We're going to see some friends later."

"When will you be home?"

"I'll be home by midnight," she promised.

"I guess that's okay since it's not a school night," Charlie agreed.

Charlie stood and walked into the house. Jacob stood then held out his hand for Bella. He pulled her up and into the house. In her room they sat on her bed facing each other.

"Has Leah told Sam yet?"

"He was just getting home when I left. It will be too late by the time we get back tonight. She's going over there tomorrow," he explained.

"How are you handling it?"

"Better. She's not as vulnerable anymore."

"She's scary when she's like that."

"Tell me about it," he said with a scoff.

"Dinner's here!" Charlie called up the stairs.

Bella and Jacob left after dinner. Jacob drove out of town silently. Bella leaned against the back of the seat and had her feet propped up on the dashboard. All of the stress from an hour ago was starting to leave her. She would see Paul soon, he was all she needed.

XXXX

The wolves entered the clearing with Bella in between Paul and Leah. The Cullen's walked towards them with Edward bringing up the rear. Jacob saw him and growled before Bella walked around Leah to put a hand on his head. Edward stopped walking but his family continued towards them.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked.

"It would be best if he stayed back," Bella warned.

"Stop it Jasper," Edward said through clenched teeth.

"Whatever it is; put it aside for now Edward," Carlisle said.

"What happened?" Esme asked.

"I was honest with him today, he didn't like it," Bella answered.

Jacob chortled deep in his throat and Bella looked down at him.

"Knock it off," Bella said sternly.

"We'll talk to him," Alice promised.

"Jasper, would you like to start?" Carlisle asked.

The wolves followed Jasper while Bella stayed back. She sat down on a boulder off to the side watching Jasper show Seth and Embry how to come at a vampire properly. Alice came to sit next to her. They were silent as Emmett worked with Paul and Jacob.

Edward worked with Sam and Rosalie. Rosalie voiced her displeasure by doing the opposite of everything Edward said.

"Come on Rose, all I asked you to do was let him come at you. He knows to stop just before he gets to you."

"Why should I? Bella isn't our problem anymore. She's theirs."

"Rosalie, don't argue with me. I am not in the mood to deal with you right now," he warned.

"You don't scare me," Rosalie said as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Fine, have it your way. Sam, go ahead. If she runs, go after her," Edward said before walking away.

Rosalie shrieked in anger making Emmett look up.

"She's being unreasonable, you handle them." Edward said as he strode up to Emmett and his group.

"That's a great idea…not. Ask Alice," Emmett said as Paul and Jacob came to stand on either side of him.

"You they like," Edward mumbled with a shake of his head before turning to walk away.

Alice and Edward worked together until clouds started forming.

"Okay, time for everyone who isn't a vampire or werewolf to head home. There's a storm coming," Carlisle said from across the field.

Bella stood and saw Paul coming towards her in human form. His lips formed a tight line and once he got closer she could see the vein in the side of his neck bulging. He was pissed, but why?

"What's wrong?"

"Let's go," he said walking past her.

"Paul, what happened?"

"I just spent the two past hours with Edward in my head. I'm allowed to be mad."

"What did he say?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he said as he got into the truck.

"Well I do," she persisted.

"Bella, drop it," he warned.

"Did he tell you what happened?"

"Not now," he said shaking his head.

"Fine," she said dejectedly.

They pulled up to his house and when she didn't turn off the truck he turned to face her.

"You aren't coming in?"

"Are you ready to tell me what happened?"

"No," he said quietly.

"He probably told you the same thing he told me. If that's the case then he's wrong. He's bitter and he will say anything to piss you off."

"I know, but he still pisses me off."

"Tell you what; I still have an hour and a half before I have to be home. I think I will come in."

Inside they lay side by side with the lights off. She took hold of his hand, squeezing it gently. She was going to give Edward a piece of her mind when she saw him again. He had gone too far and she wasn't going to put up with it anymore.

XXXX

The sun was barely up when someone knocking on the door woke up Sam. Emily had left half an hour earlier to go to work so the only way that the person would go away was if he made them.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed before feeling around on the floor for his shorts. He made his way down the stairs in a fog. He opened the door giving the person outside a tired look.

"I didn't realize that you were still sleeping. I can come back later," Leah said in a rushed tone.

"What's in the box?" he asked, gesturing to the box under her arm.

"Pictures," she said just above a whisper.

"Of what?" he asked in confusion.

"It would be who actually. It's a long story," she said quietly.

"Come inside," he said opening the door wider.

She walked to the table and set the box down while Sam went upstairs to find a shirt. She started a fresh pot of coffee and by the time Sam came down she had made him a cup. He took it with a grateful smile. They sat at the table and he could tell that Leah was nervous.

"Are you going to tell me why you're here or am I going to have to guess?"

"Do you remember how angry I was at you when we broke up?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

"There was a reason for that. Did you ever wonder why that was?"

"Would you have told me if I had asked?" he countered.

"I was pregnant," she said quietly.

"You were?" he asked in concern.

"I didn't want to tell you unless I knew that we would get back together. I waited a month before I called my mom and told her that you had broken up with me. By then Emily had already moved in and I knew that I had lost my chance."

"The pictures are of the baby," Sam said as it dawned on him.

"I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had gotten an abortion, but I knew that I wouldn't have been able to raise him on my own while I was still in school."

"We have a son?"

"His name is Sean, and he'll be two next month."

"Why are you just now telling me this?" he asked in a stressed tone.

"I hadn't planned on ever telling you because I didn't want you to feel guilty. Jacob brought up something the other night that made me change my mind. He said that if it were him that he would want to know so that he could get to know the baby."

"Jacob knows?" he asked in concern.

"He finally broke through my wall that I had built up. It was only a matter of time," she said with a shrug.

"It only took him a month," Sam said with a shake of his head.

"He's persistent, you know that," Leah said as she pulled the top from off the box.

"Who all knows?"

"My family, Bella, Jake and now you know."

"How does Bella know?" he asked cautiously.

"We ran into each other one day and I was visibly pregnant. She was the first person to find out. I stayed away from Washington during my pregnancy."

"Is he in Arizona?"

"He's here in Washington, in Spokane," she explained.

She handed him a picture and he looked down at it sadly. A little boy with Leah's eyes and Seth's smile stared back at him.

"He looks like your mom," he said with a sad smile.

"I know. You can keep that one if you want. I have a copy of it at home."

"I'm sorry," he said sadly.

"For what?" she asked quizzically.

"That you had to go through this without your family and me. That couldn't have been easy for you," he sympathized.

"It wasn't. I had a lot of resentment towards you for a long time. It wasn't until I joined the pack and imprinted on Jacob that I understood that you had no control over the situation."

"Do you keep in contact with his adoptive family?"

"I've seen him twice and they send me updated pictures of him every few months, but I try to stay out of the way. He's theirs now," she said sadly.

"Do you think that you could get in touch with them so that I could see him?"

"I'll call the adoption agency as soon as I get home. I have to go through them to get in touch with his adoptive parents," she explained.

"I understand. Thanks for bringing the pictures," he said as he picked up a handful from the box.

They spent all day going through the box and she told him funny stories about things that the baby had done the last time she had seen him. Emily came home to find the pictures scattered across the table but Sam and Leah were nowhere to be found.

Emily picked up a picture looking at Leah and the baby curiously. Sam came down the stairs with a photo album and Leah followed close behind him. Emily turned to face them, still holding the picture.

"You're home early," Sam said to break the silence.

"We were slow. Who's this?" she asked holding up the picture.

"I'm gonna go. This is a private conversation."

"See you later."

"Leah, whose baby is this," Emily asked pointedly.

"He's mine and Sam's son," Leah said as she gathered the pictures.

"Sam?" Emily asked with a hurt expression.

"I just found out about him this morning," he said as he stood in front of her.

They were upstairs when Leah let herself out. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She had feared that Sam would be mad at her. She hadn't expected that he would feel guilty or that the sight of the little boy looking back at him would bring tears to his eyes. She had never seen Sam cry. He had been very understanding and accepting as she had explained her reasons for keeping the secret for so long.

Jacob was in his front yard when she walked up the driveway. She had gone home to drop off the box and left a message with her adoption representative before deciding to come and see him. He wiped his hands on a rag as he watched her walk towards him. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes looked tired. He had been waiting to hear from her all day.

She stopped in front of him and he pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck before looking up at him. He looked down at her curiously as she smiled up at him. She leaned in, never taking her eyes off of him. The kiss was gentle and sweet; something that he hadn't expected from her. Her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck as she pleaded for entrance.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She sighed contently into his mouth as his tongue glided over hers gently. She hadn't been kissed like this in a long time. It felt so good to be in his arms, everything was right with the world. She had no worries.

There had been a time when she thought that Sam was the only person who could evoke these kinds of emotions from her. She had been so naïve then, she wouldn't make that mistake again. She and Jacob were going to have a long talk about what was going on between them. Just not now, she didn't want to ruin the way things were.

He pulled away giving her an amused look. She rolled her eyes before laying her head on his shoulder. He tightened his grip on her as she breathed in his scent. It was masculine, a mix of sweat, woods, and whatever soap he used. It was different from Sam's. Sam had more of a distinctive smell that reminded her of the ocean.

"How did it go?"

"He wants to see Sean."

"That's good. He should be allowed to see him."

Leah nodded against his shoulder and he kissed her temple. Jacob was a lot more patient and understanding than people gave him credit for. Leah and Bella were two of the few people who knew that about him. It was a shame that he didn't get the credit he deserved.


	13. Everyone Has a Weakness

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Bella hadn't been sleeping well since the night that someone had broken into the house. Even with Paul there she would be up half the night. She sat in the gym with her chin almost touching her chest as Jessica gave her valedictorian speech. She didn't know how much more she could take.

Her eyes were half closed as Jessica brought her speech to a close and everyone started clapping. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs then clapped halfheartedly. Jessica sat down next to her, giving her a worried glance.

Her eyes drooped once more as the principle started calling names. She must have dozed off because she felt someone nudge her and she felt like every eye in the room were on her. She sighed before rising from her seat. She walked up the stairs and across the stage to the principle in a daze. When she took her seat again she felt someone's eyes on her.

She looked over her shoulder to see Jasper giving her a calming, steely eyed look. She sank back against the seat as she waited for everything to be over. Jasper walked past her to accept his diploma two minutes later and she heaved a sigh of relief that it was over.

She got the feeling that her day was just about to begin. She had pleaded with her dad when he mentioned that he wanted to throw her a graduation party. She just knew that when she got home there were going to be people there wanting to celebrate. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep.

Her dad took at least a hundred pictures of her before he decided that he was ready to leave. The car ride home was silent as she tried to fall asleep with her head against the window.

"Are you alright? You look a little pale," he asked as they turned onto their street.

"I just want to go to sleep," she mumbled.

"That might be a problem," he cautioned sheepishly.

"I asked you not to throw me a graduation party," she said with a groan.

Sure enough, when they pulled up the driveway and street in front of the house were filled with cars. She wasn't sure if she knew that many people in Washington.

"Who all did you invite Dad?"

"I went through your phone and started calling people."

"Thanks Dad," she said with a halfhearted smile.

"You'll sleep well tonight," he said as he patted her shoulder.

She got out of the car to be enveloped in a hug on two sides. She yelled in surprise as Seth and Leah started talking at once.

"Easy you two, she's a little out of sorts right now," Charlie warned.

"What's going on?" Leah asked in concern.

"Nothing much, Vampires are after me and it's keeping me up at night. Ya know, the usual," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Everything will go back to normal soon. I can feel it," Leah said rubbing her back encouragingly.

"Yeah, we're on it Bells. You don't need to worry," Seth said with a wide grin.

She wished that she had his optimism. She found it hard to be optimistic about the situation that everyone was in. They guided her into the house and her eyes sought out Paul immediately. He was in front of her within seconds and Leah and Seth left them alone.

"As nice as this is, all I want to do is go up to my room and sleep for the next two days."

"If I could make that happen I would," he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I know you would," she said with a sigh.

"I didn't think you knew this many people."

"He called everyone in my phone."

"He wanted to make this nice for you."

"It's not that I don't appreciate, because I do. I would probably even enjoy it if I didn't feel like a zombie."

"You want to know something funny?"

"What?"

"Some girl from your school asked Jake out. Jared and I had to hold Leah back because the girl couldn't take a hint," he said with a light laugh.

"Which one?" she asked, scanning the room.

"She's standing a few feet from Edward."

"My Dad invited Edward?" She asked looking out across the living room.

"He invited all of the Cullen's."

The girl in question met eyes with Bella and Bella groaned in frustration.

"How in the hell did I get her number?" she growled.

"You don't like her?"

"I can't stand her," she said in frustration.

"What's her name?"

"Lauren. I'm surprised she came," she said with a sigh.

"What did she do that was so bad?"

"She gave me a hard time while I was dating Edward. She turned one of my friends against me just because she was jealous of me. Thank God Jessica saw her for what she was and came to her senses."

"I'll keep you away from her," he promised tightening his grip on her.

"I know you will," she said as she smiled up at him.

Jessica came up to them with Angela with a smile.

"Paul this is Jessica and Angela, the only two girls at my school worthy of my time besides Alice. This is my boyfriend, Paul."

"It's nice to meet you," Angela said with a polite smile.

"She's told us all about you," Jessica said with a smile of her own.

"That can't be good," he said as he laughed.

"I only told them the nice stuff."

"I can't believe that Lauren showed up," Angela said.

"Hopefully she won't stay long," Jessica said with a sigh.

Someone knocked on the door before Bella could reply. She pulled away from Paul to walk the short distance to the door and suppressed a sigh when she saw the person on the other side.

"Dad, the relator is here," she called into the kitchen.

She let the woman in and Charlie met them at the door.

"Your Dad's selling the house?" Jessica asked.

"Mm hmm," Bella said with a tight lipped smile.

"You don't like the idea?" Angela asked.

"He's doing it so that he can pay for my college tuition. I feel guilty."

Paul pulled her into the living room and she was surprised to see so many people from school. She saw people that weren't even in her grade that she wouldn't have thought to invite. Emmett stood in the corner with Rosalie and Jasper while Alice sat alone, which Bella knew wasn't normal. Alice was the most social person Bella had ever met.

Bella pulled away from Paul and made her way over to Alice. Alice didn't acknowledge her as she sat down next to her. Bella knew exactly what was going on. Alice was having a vision and the rest of the Cullen's were giving her breathing room so that no one would suspect something. Alice turned her head to look at Bella with worry lines etched across her forehead.

"What's going on?" Bella asked quietly.

"How soon can you get everyone to leave?"

"It depends on the lie I come up with."

"I think it's time that Charlie and Bella had some alone time everyone. Why don't we all relocate to my house?" Alice asked over the noise.

"I've never been to your house," Jessica said with wide eyes.

"Anyone who doesn't know where we live can follow one of us," Carlisle said.

"What is it?" Bella asked.

"I saw the newborns. There are at least two dozen of them. Have the boys and Leah come to my house. Come over as soon as you can," Alice pleaded.

"Okay," Bella said with a nod.

"Jacob, Leah, Seth? Would you like to ride with us?" Esme asked with a smile.

"Sure," Jacob said slowly.

"Stay with her. I'll fill you in later," Sam said to Paul.

Paul nodded as everyone filed out of the house. Charlie came back in once everyone was gone.

"Where did everyone go?"

"They had graduation parties of their own Dad."

"That's true. I see that Paul is still here," he said with a sigh.

"Is that okay?"

"It's fine. Pam thinks that the house will sell fast since it was recently redone. I hope she's right."

"Should I start packing?"

"That would be a good idea. I'll get us some boxes tomorrow on my way home from work and we'll start packing this weekend."

"I didn't think that you worked today or tomorrow."

"I was only able to take today off. I have to be in at six tomorrow morning."

"I'm going to go lay down."

"Me too, make sure to lock up once he leaves," he said gesturing to Paul.

"I will," she promised.

Charlie went upstairs and Bella and Paul cleaned the house. She locked the door before pulling him up to her room. She threw herself on the bed with a grunt. He lay next to her with a hand on her back.

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep but I'm going to try like hell," she mumbled.

"Don't think about what happened earlier. I'll be right here," he said against her ear.

She was asleep within minutes while he stared up at the ceiling. There was no chance of him falling asleep. Not with the threat of the newborns coming at any moment.

XXXX

Bella woke up to the sound of someone sliding her window open in the middle of the night. She lay still, wondering who would be crawling through her window at one in the morning other than Paul who she had dropped off at home less than three hours before.

"I know you're awake. I can hear you breathing," Edward said to get her attention.

"They sent you? Seriously?" she asked with a sigh.

"It was either me or Jasper, everyone else is hunting."

"I would rather deal with Jasper," she said in exasperation.

"I want to apologize."

"Fine," she said as she rolled over to face him.

"Why isn't Paul here?"

"Because he needs to prepare for the battle just like you do. Sam called him because he needed him on the Reservation."

"Is someone on patrol? I didn't see or smell anyone."

"Leah and Jacob are supposed to be."

A faint shrill whistle sounded through the open window sounding almost like a bird call. That was Jacob's signal to let Bella know that he was there. Edward nodded as he sat down at her desk.

"I've come to notice that Paul isn't the person that I thought he was. He is perfectly capable of taking care of you."

"Pretty soon I won't need to be taken care of at all."

"That may be, but he is still doing a better job of it than I ever did," he said with a heavy sigh.

"When did you realize that?" she asked in intrigue.

"Today, he can be very hostile when backed into a corner. But he handled today very well," he complimented.

"I know how hostile he can be. I try to keep him as calm as possible."

"He doesn't usually let me in, but when he does he is very forthcoming."

"He's not the kind of person who holds back his opinion."

"Trust me, I know," he said in confirmation.

"When will the battle happen?"

"Sunday, how much sleep did you get today?"

"I got some. But I couldn't make my body shut down for longer than a couple of hours. I was worried about what was going to happen."

"You don't need to worry. Alice has seen everything, we are going to win," he said in reassurance.

"That's good to know," she said with a nod.

"Paul will probably tell you everything else so I am going to go. Try to get some more sleep," he said with a kind smile.

Bella watched him climb out the window and she lay back against the pillows as soon as he shut the window. She was tired, but she couldn't make her mind shut off. That was usually the case lately. She pushed everything to the back of her mind and tried to focus on falling asleep. She heard the window slide open again and she turned towards it with a sigh.

"It's just me," Leah said in the darkness.

She lay down on the floor next to the bed and Bella handed her a blanket which she declined. Bella's light, even breathing was soon the only sound in the room. Leah didn't like that Bella was so stressed out that she couldn't sleep unless someone was with her, she had been in that position before herself and hadn't had anyone to lean on. She would gladly sleep next to Bella if it helped her sleep at night.

XXXX

Paul had woken her up at dawn to tell her that he was leaving. She had spent half the night last night leaving a trail of her scent in the forest that bordered where the fight would take place. She had ripped one of her good shirts into strips to place strategically in tree limbs so that the newborns would be led away from her house. She had gotten back just before her dad woke up to go to work.

Jasper had shown up with some awful tasting tea for her to drink not long after Paul had left. He claimed that it would help her sleep. He had stayed with her until she had fallen asleep fifteen minutes later.

She woke to the sun shining in her eyes and the sounds of birds chirping right outside her window. If it were any other day she would have relished in watching the birds that had made a home in the tree. Instead she pulled herself out of bed to get dressed. She checked the hall clock before going downstairs. It was after two, she had slept half the day away.

Seth greeted her at the bottom of the stairs with a wide grin. She smiled back putting a hand on his shoulder before passing him to go into the kitchen. She grabbed a soda before going into the living room. Collin and Brady were enthralled in some war movie that she had never seen. Seth walked out the front door and she followed him when he called her name. He stood on the porch looking out over the yard.

"Is it over?" she asked.

"Sam said that he would call," Seth said with a shake of his head.

"So the three of you got pulled from the action?"

"I wouldn't say that. Collin and I chased the one who broke in here to where everyone else was first thing this morning."

"He was here?"

"He slipped up; we put him back in his place," he said proudly.

His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"It's Sam," he said before flipping it open.

Bella listened to his end of the conversation intently. Something had happened but Seth didn't let on to what it was. He shut the phone before going back inside. Bella followed him back into the living room.

"Time to go, Sam wants us to meet him at Jake's."

"What happened?" Bella asked.

"It wasn't Paul, don't worry. He's on his way here."

"Is it Jake?" she asked as Seth passed her to open the door again.

"Come over as soon as you can," he said before walking out the door.

Brady reluctantly pulled himself away from the TV and followed Seth and Collin out the front door. Bella walked back into the kitchen to clean up the mess the boys had made. Potato chip bags and soda cans littered the counter and the empty bread bag was still in the bread container. She couldn't be mad at them; she had done the same thing when she was twelve and thirteen. She was glad that the three of them were kept away from the battle. They were too young to be dealing with what they were going through.

The front door opened as she was wiping down the counter and Paul's arms wrapped around her from behind. She turned in his arms before wrapping her arms around his neck. She laid her head on his chest hearing his heartbeat in her ear.

"I'm just glad that you're okay," she mumbled.

"Jake isn't," he said quietly.

"So I gathered. What happened to him?"

"He was covering Leah's back and the guy nearly crushed him to death. Every bone in the upper right side of his body is broken."

"Is Leah okay?" she asked in concern.

"She's pissed at Jake for playing the hero and getting hurt but other than that she's fine."

"She'll get over it."

"I'm sure she will. Jake was asking for you."

"I'll go and see him later."

"I would hold off until tonight. Carlisle is having trouble keeping medicine in him; it's pretty bad right now," he warned her.

"Okay."

"Your Dad will probably be working late tonight."

"Why?"

"We had to light some fires to get rid of the bodies. You can see the smoke from the interstate," he explained.

"How bad is it?"

"It's not that bad. If he asks, Jake got into a motorcycle accident."

"That's the excuse Billy is using?"

"Yeah," he said, his lips forming a tight line.

"Everything is really over?"

"It's really over, unless you've pissed off someone else," he said with a quirked eyebrow.

"Very funny," she said rolling her eyes.

He gave her a teasing smile before leaning down to gently kiss her. She kept him close by threading her fingers through his hair.

"I love you," she whispered.

"You do?" he asked, his smile growing wider.

"Yeah," she said with a nod.

"I love you too," he said murmured before kissing her again.

She sighed against his lips as he tightened his grip on her. He added more pressure to the kiss making her open her mouth to let him in. He backed her against the counter as his tongue swept into her mouth. The front door opened and someone cleared their throat from behind them. Paul pulled away and Bella looked over his shoulder to see Edward.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"Hey."

"Carlisle wanted me to let you know that you can go over and see Jacob whenever you'd like. He's stable now."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said with a nod.

"I mean it. Thank you, for everything. Thank your family for me?"

"I will," he said with a smile before walking out the door.

He closed the door silently and Bella fell against Paul, burying her face in his neck.

"Do you want to go and see Jake?"

"It can wait. I want to spend some time with you for right now."

"I'm not going to say no to that," he said with a crooked smile.

She led him up the stairs and closed the door behind them. She had a feeling that her dad was going to be home soon to change into his fire gear. If they were quiet enough, maybe he wouldn't come to the door. Something hit her window as he captured her hands and lifted them over her head. He hung his head to bury his face in the pillow beside her head before screaming into it.

"Go see who it is," she said with a sigh.

He crossed the room to the window and opened it to scowl down at the person on the ground.

"We're having a meeting," Jared called up to him.

"I'm busy. Can you fill me in later?" he asked gruffly.

"I was busy too if you know what I mean. That didn't stop Sam from coming over to my house. You can keep it in your pants for a few more hours."

"Go. I can go and see Jake," Bella said.

"I'll call you later," he promised walking back to her.

He stood in front of her brushing her hair over her shoulder before leaning in.

"We aren't done."

"Hopefully next time we won't get interrupted."

"If somebody does, I'm going to kill them," he said with a sigh.

"I'll talk to you later," she said before kissing him.

He pulled away a few seconds later with a groan when Jared whistled from outside.

"Come on!" he called.

Paul walked backwards to the window and Bella watched him until he climbed down the tree. She had honestly planned on sleeping with him. She hadn't planned on getting interrupted twice but she didn't take that as a bad sign. All of her bad days were behind her and she could focus on building a relationship with him.

XXXX

Billy answered the door the second time she knocked. He smiled at her warmly as she passed him. She leaned down to hug him and he held on, not letting her go.

"I am so glad that you weren't there. You're like one of my kids and Jake thinks of you as his sister. We Blacks look after our own, so you don't need to thank him."

"I know," she said when he finally let her go.

"I think he might be asleep finally. I haven't heard anything from him in a little while. You can go back if you want or you can wait until he wakes up."

"I'm awake," Jacob said from his room.

"You had better go on back there then," Billy said before pushing himself into the living room.

Bella stood at his door taking him in. He was battered and bruised and the upper right side of his body was in a cast. His head was wrapped in gauze. He couldn't even move his neck to look at her. She crossed the room to sit on the edge of his bed.

"When you get hurt you don't do it half way do you?"

"Who knows, you and I might be related after all," he said with a half-smile.

"Maybe," she said with a laugh.

"Leah's pissed."

"She won't be for long. She'll eventually see that you did it because you didn't want her to get hurt. You could have done things differently, but they can't be undone now."

"It hurts like hell. Every part of me hurts," he groaned.

"It looks like it," she said with a nod.

"Did you get to see Paul?"

"For a little while, Sam called for an emergency pack meeting so he had to go," she said with a frustrated sigh.

"What happened?"

"I told him that I loved him and he told me that he loved me too and then we got interrupted by Edward. I took him upstairs but before anything could happen Jared showed up."

"You were going to sleep with him?"

"Yeah, is it okay that we're talking about this?" she asked, nervous.

"It's fine Bells. I don't want to kill him if that's what you're asking."

"I was thinking about your feelings for me."

"That's in the past. Like my Dad said, you're practically my sister."

"Can I talk to him?" Leah asked from the door.

"Sure. I'll come by tomorrow," she said putting a hand on his good arm.

"Okay," he said quietly.

"Go easy on him; he's in a lot of pain," Bella said when she came to stand in front of Leah.

"He brought it on himself," Leah said under her breath.

"I know that, but he's still not himself. Wait until he's better to have it out with him."

"Good idea. I'll let him wait, that way my anger can build," Leah said with an acid smile.

"Or you'll be over it and realize that he didn't do it to hurt your feelings. He knows that you can take care of yourself."

"I can hear the two of you," Jacob said with a strangled sigh.

"Then she won't need to go over it with you," Bella said over her shoulder before she stepped out into the hall.

Leah shut the door quietly before coming to sit next to him. She took in his appearance with a shake of her head.

"What were you thinking?" she accused, her voice just above a whisper.

"I was trying to save you," he defended, his voice only slightly louder than hers.

"I didn't need you to. I could have handled it."

"You could have handled two at one time? Really?" he asked shooting daggers at her.

"I-"

"What? I would not have been able to live with myself if it was you and not me in this situation."

"I don't want to argue with you about it," she said with a sigh.

"Thank you," he said as he closed his eyes.

"But I do want to talk to you about having feelings for Bella. How long ago was that?"

"It happened before I imprinted on you."

"And after you imprinted on me?"

"I planned on telling you. I didn't want to put added stress on you."

"Did you have feelings for her after you imprinted on me Jacob?" she questioned firmly.

"For a little while, but what I feel for you is more important and ten times more intense than what I felt for her."

"How long after?" she questioned.

"A few weeks," he said with a sigh.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"After all the mess with the vampires was over."

"I can understand that I guess," she said with a sigh.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. I just wish that you had told me sooner. I was pretty much put in Emily's position without realizing it. I'll have you know that I saw red when I heard Bella ask you if you still had feelings for her."

"Technically you weren't in Emily's position. Bella turned me down without thinking twice."

"Does Paul know?"

"Have you heard about him trying to kill me?"

"No."

"Then I'd say that he doesn't."

"Maybe she has told him and he hasn't let it bother him."

"I guess we'll never know," he said with a sigh.

She leaned over him brushing her fingers over his forehead. He sighed, wishing that he could touch her. She lightly pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth that wasn't busted open and bruised before pulling away.

"I love you," she said staring him in the eye.

"I love you too," he said with a crooked smile.

"Does it really feel different than it did with Bella?"

"It does. It feels right."

"You're right, it does," she agreed with a nod.

"Is it better the second time around?"

"It's even better than the first time. This time I know that the person I love won't abandon me. Not that Sam had a choice, but I can let my guard down easier with you than I could with him."

"I understand."

"I should go. My mom wants me and Seth to be home early tonight."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

She pressed her fingers to her lips before pressing them to his good cheek. She gave him a sad smile before standing. He watched her leave out of the corner of his eye before his dad came to stand at the door.

"I'm gonna go to bed. Leah and Seth are going to help me. I just wanted to see if you needed anything first."

"I don't need anything."

"Do you feel better now that you've talked to Leah and Bella?"

"Yes Sir."

"'See you in the morning."

"G'night."

Seth waved as he passed him to go back down the hall. Leah stopped at his door to say goodnight to him before continuing down the hall. He closed his eyes as the door shut behind them. Thoughts of what had happened that day swam through his head. Things could have ended a lot worse. He was just glad that Bella hadn't been there. The less she knew about what about the battle the better. It was bad enough that he would likely have nightmares about it for the rest of his life.

He was able to shut his mind off finally and soon he drifted off to sleep. He would live to see another day and the pain would be gone in a few days. It was worth the price to pay to see that Leah was safe.


	14. Taking The Next Step

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Warning: This chapter contains lemon.**

Bella looked around the nearly empty living room. It was void of the stamp that let someone know that a family made their life there. She had been trying for three days to talk her dad into taking the house off the market. There had been six families that came to the open house last night. She had yet to pack her room. Charlie thought that it would be best to leave the bedrooms for last so that they would have their everyday necessities when they needed them.

They had gone apartment hunting in Port Angeles this morning and she had to admit that some of the apartments and the one loft that they had seen were nice but they hadn't felt like home to her. Her dad was now on the phone with the relator, the house had only been on the market a week and a half and already there was a buyer.

She hadn't seen Paul in a week. He had decided to go camping in Canada by himself. She had let him go because she knew more than anyone how stressed he had been in the past few months. He was due back that night and had called to let her know that he would come and see her in the morning. She had a better idea.

Once her dad was off the phone she let him know that she was going out and that she would stay at Leah's for the night. He left while she put her plan into motion. She was out the door half an hour later.

Sam's Jeep was in Paul's yard when she pulled up. He must not have come up to get it back yet. Bo's loud barking could be heard from inside as she made her way through the yard. She pushed the door open, hearing nothing.

"Shut up, Bo," Paul scolded from the bathroom.

Bella crossed to the bedroom and saw Bo on the bed. He got down and trotted over to her. Paul stuck his head out the door his eyes meeting hers. She smiled as he crossed the room giving her a smoldering look.

"I was about to call you," he said pulling her to him.

"I got impatient," she said wrapping her arms around his neck.

"The next time I go camping you're coming with me."

"My idea of camping and your idea of camping are two completely different things," she said with a small laugh.

"You don't like camping?"

"As long as there's a camper that I can sleep in I'm fine. I don't do well sleeping in a tent."

"I guess I can live with that," he said cupping the back of her neck before leaning down.

His lips were gentle and pliant over hers. Her hands fisted in his hair feeling herself molding against him. She had missed him more than she wanted to admit and had secluded herself from everyone except Leah and Jacob. Being in his arms felt like coming home. She sighed against his lips before opening her mouth to him. His tongue explored her mouth leisurely as his hands moved to pull hers from his hair.

Their hands intertwined and he brought them down to their sides. He pulled away to look down at her. His eyes bore into hers as she stared back at him. He broke eye contact before letting go of her hands. She followed him to the bed and they sat side by side with Bo sitting on his haunches in front of them.

"Out," Paul commanded.

The dog whined, then turned to look at Bella.

"She's not going to save you. Out, now," he said pointing to the front room.

Bo moved towards the door with his tail between his legs. Bella turned her head to look at Paul in curiosity.

"I've seen him twenty-four seven for the past week. I need some alone time with you," he said brushing his fingers down her arm.

She shook her head with a smile before turning her body to face him. He turned to face her, pushing her down onto the bed. He leaned over her, taking her in. Her face was relaxed as she looked up at him.

"I've been thinking," he said as his eyes bored into hers once more.

"About what?" she questioned.

"Do you want to move in here?"

"You want me to move in?" she asked as her eyes lit up with excitement.

"I know it's small, but we could make it work."

"You're right, we could," she said in agreement.

"Is that a yes?"

"That a hell yes," she said with a smile.

He gave her a lopsided grin before leaning down once more. Her arms rested on his shoulders as his hands pushed up the hem of her shirt. His hands made a blazing hot trail up her stomach to her breast. He pushed her bra out of the way to cup her breasts. Her phone rang making her groan.

"Ignore it," he said against her lips.

"It could be my dad," she said with a sigh.

"Check it," he said as he pulled away from her.

"Move your hands."

"No way," he said with a shake of his head.

She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled her phone out. She opened it with a groan.

"Hey Dad," she said once she found her voice.

"I thought you weren't leaving until later," he said.

"I decided to go over early."

"I went and got dinner," he said dejectedly.

Paul fingers brushed over her breast teasingly as he smiled evilly at her. She glared at him with a sigh.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Can you come home? I wanted to talk to you about these townhouses that I saw in the relators section of the paper."

"It can't wait until tomorrow?"

Paul gave her a warning look while he shook his head. She gave him a helpless look as she waited for her dad to answer her.

"Tomorrow's the last day of open houses for them. I was going to make an appointment for a showing in the morning."

Bella's eyes clenched shut in frustration. If she went home she could tell her dad about her decision to move in with Paul.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," she said quietly.

"I'll keep dinner warm. I really appreciate you doing this for me Bells," he said quickly.

"Yeah," she said as she pulled Paul's hands from underneath her shirt.

He rolled off of her with a sigh. She sat up with her head in her hands.

"Do you plan on coming back tonight?"

"I need one more night with him. I'm going to tell him that I'm moving in here and I'm going to pack up my stuff. That will give you time to make room for my stuff in the closet and the dresser."

"Alright," he said with an eye roll.

"And tomorrow night you had better have condoms because we are turning off our phones so no one can bother us."

"I like that idea," he said with a wistful smile.

"I thought you might," she said leaning over him.

She rested all of her weight on her arms as she leaned down to brush her lips to his. His fingers brushed down her cheek as she pulled away. She smiled down at him before getting off the bed. He followed her to the truck and opened the door for her. He stood in the yard until her taillights faded from sight.

He hadn't expected her to say yes so fast. He had planned on begging and pleading with her and if that hadn't worked he was going to show her what she would be missing. He was glad that she had said yes with no questions asked. That meant that she trusted him. He would spend the rest of his life keeping her safe and he would never break her trust.

XXXX

Jacob was leaning over the Rabbit tightening a bolt to the battery when he heard someone behind him. He figured if the person where there to see him they would make themselves known so he kept doing what he was doing.

A pair of long, slender arms slid around his waist as Leah pressed her body against his back. She kissed behind his ear before placing her head against his shoulder blade. A smile tugged at his lips as he set the wrench down on the battery. His smile widened when he turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were closed but she was smiling contently as she took in his scent. He kissed the corner of her mouth to get her attention and her smile widened.

"I was starting to think that you were still mad at me," he murmured.

"I didn't want to see you walking around on crutches. It would have made me feel guilty," she said into his neck.

"I haven't needed them since yesterday."

"That's what Seth said."

He turned in her arms to lean against the front of the car. He brushed her hair behind her ear before leaning in to brush his lips to hers. She smiled against his lips before opening her mouth to him. He cupped her face in his hands as she pressed her body to his. Her tongue brushed over his bottom lip and he opened his mouth to let her in. She pushed him backwards so that he was leaning over the car and he hissed when his elbow banged against the battery and the wrench fell in between the cracks, clattering against the body of the car in its wake. She pulled away shoving her hair out of her eyes.

"Sorry," she said giving him an impish smile.

"You're sorry for kissing me senseless? I'm not."

"I meant about the wrench," she said smacking his chest playfully.

"It's not a big deal. I can get it later," he said turning to pull the hood down.

"Are you the only one here?"

"Rachel's at work and my dad is fixing something at Quil's."

"Could we go inside?"

He took hold of her hand and led her into the house. She went into the living room while he headed into the kitchen. He handed her a bottle of water before grabbing the remote from off the table.

"It's not every day that I get to watch TV without my sister taking the remote from me or my dad asking me to turn on a game," he said as he turned on the TV.

"Well, at least your dad isn't here," Leah said as she took the remote from him.

"So it's like that?"

"I, like you, come from a one TV household. Seth usually has control over it. I can't watch Life of Ryan one more time."

"That's a good show," he said in defense.

"I have seen every episode. Ryan Sheckler might be cute, but his friends are idiots."

She stopped on an old episode of America's Best Dance Crew that he hadn't seen before lying down on the couch with her head in his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair absent mindedly and she rolled over so that she was lying on her back. Her eyes were closed and her face looked serine. His hand paused and she opened one eye to look up at him.

"Why did you stop? That felt good."

He smiled down at her before starting the process over again. She sighed before closing her eyes again. The TV show was forgotten as he took her in. He started with her face and his free hand went to her neck. He brushed his fingers down the side of her neck to her shoulder before veering down to her chest. The back of his hand blazed a trail between her breasts, moving slowly down her stomach. His eyes drifted to her face again to see her staring up at him.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

She shook her head as his hand veered right to come to rest finally at her hip. His eyes traveled down her legs slowly before meeting her gaze again.

"You're not a virgin are you?" she asked.

"Would it be a problem if I was?"

"No."

"Then, yes, I am."

"I kind of like knowing that I get to show you what to do."

"You do like bossing me around."

"When the time is right," she said with a nod.

"Which isn't now," he said finishing what she had meant to say.

"Not yet."

"I don't mind waiting."

Leah turned over once more so that her face came in contact with his torso. She would have to have been blind not to have noticed it before. It was one of the first things that she noticed about him after she had changed. He wasn't afraid of anything while she had held so much back. She was done doing that. She had kept him waiting for long enough and as soon as she felt that they were ready there was nothing that was going to stop her from claiming him as hers.

XXXX

Charlie was true to his word. When Bella came in he was turning off the stove and oven. He pulled something out of the oven while Bella was getting plates for them. The pleasing smell of duck sauce filled the room. He had gotten Chinese. While Bella loved Chinese, it gave Charlie acid indigestion.

"Why did you get Chinese food?"

"That's for you. I just pulled my pizza out of the oven."

Bella went to the stove and saw wonton soup warming in a pot and egg rolls in a cake pan on the back burner. The duck sauce that she made from scratch was also warming in its own pot. Charlie reached around her to grab two slices of pizza while she filled her bowl. She turned to see him watching her.

"You look like you've got a lot on your mind," he observed.

"Not really, but I do need to talk to you."

"Let's have it then," he said before taking a bite of pizza.

"I won't be moving in with you."

He chewed slowly before swallowing hard. He gave her a worried glance as he took a swig of his beer. Seconds ticked by as she waited patiently for what he would say.

"Have you found somewhere else to live?"

"I'm moving in with Paul tomorrow," she said, wanting to be up front and honest with him.

His eyes bulged, but she could see that he was shocked, not mad.

"When did you decide this?"

"Just before you called me," she answered honestly.

"How long have the two of you been planning this?"

"We haven't. He asked me and I said yes immediately."

"Don't you think that maybe you're rushing into it? You should think it through," he said in a fatherly tone.

"I don't need to Dad. It feels right."

"I thought it did too, and then I was divorced three years later."

"You don't need to worry dad. Paul and I aren't going to end up hurting each other," she said in disagreement.

"Are the two of you sleeping together?"

"No," she said giving him a look that let him know that she wasn't lying.

"What about college? Do you still plan on going?"

"I promised you that I would go to college, and I am," she reminded him.

"I guess it's good that we're done packing up the house then. I brought home more boxes so that we could start packing up our rooms. You can have them."

"It's not like I'm moving across the country. I'll be one county over."

"Those townhouses are closer to La Push," he reasoned.

"I'll go with you when you go to check them out," she promised.

"I still plan on getting a two bedroom place no matter where I go. That way you can stay over whenever you want."

"Thanks Dad," she said standing.

She came to stand behind him and draped her arms over his shoulders. He squeezed one of her arms as a way of hugging her.

"You had better get started on packing if you want to move in tomorrow."

"I was going to clean the kitchen first."

"I've got to get used to doing it myself again. You spoil me too much," he said standing to clear the table.

Bella carried half of the boxes from the hall closet up to her room and started packing. She wouldn't be able to take everything, whatever she didn't take would go to her dad's new place.

One hour and six boxes later she was finished with what she would take with her to Paul's. Her room looked almost bare except for her desk and bed. She would ask her dad about taking her rocking chair with her. She was sure that he wouldn't have a problem with it.

She sat on the bed with a sigh. Her phone vibrated and she reached across the bed to grab it. Paul had sent her a text message.

I miss you.

You won't be missing me for long.

You told him?

Yep. I'll be over there tomorrow night.

Do you promise?

I promise. I told him that I would go apartment hunting with him tomorrow so I'll come over after that.

I can't wait.

Me neither.

She shut her phone with a smile. She may be young, but she knew that she was making the right decision. She was more level headed than her parents had been at her age and Paul had a year of living alone under his belt. If he could do it, so could she.

XXXX

It only took Embry and Quil twenty minutes to unload the boxes and furniture off of Charlie's truck. Charlie had given Bella her old desk because someone had told him that Paul's house was sparsely furnished. She knew that he did it because he cared and he wanted her to be happy.

She waved to Charlie as he backed out of the yard and Bo sat at her feet watching the man that he had just met that afternoon but already liked drive away. She put a hand on his back to pet him and he turned his head to look at her.

"Come on," she said turning to walk inside.

Bo sat beneath the window in the front room while Bella started dinner. Paul would be home soon and she wanted their first night living together to be special. She was putting the steaks into the oven when Paul came in. Bo stood to meet him at the door as he toed off his shoes and pulled his shirt off.

He came to stand behind her and reached around her to turn off the oven. She turned in his arms giving him a curious look.

"I need a shower, and you are taking one too." he said huskily.

She let him pull her to the bedroom and he shut the door behind them, stopping Bo from following them. He pushed her against the door gently before boxing her in. He reached for the hem of her shirt and she lifted her arms so that he could take it off. She pulled down her shorts as he leaned down to kiss her. She kicked them off the rest of the way as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He gripped her hips lightly, lifting her off of the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his teeth pull at her bottom lip. She opened her mouth to him as he carried her to the bathroom. He set her on the counter before placing his hands on the counter for support. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist, keeping him close to her.

He pulled away but didn't move away from her. He had seen her naked before but it didn't count since Jared had been with them. He was going to do now what he had wanted to do then. His hands traveled over her shoulders pushing her bra straps down her shoulders. She reached behind her to unhook the clasps and he pushed it down her arms.

He cupped her breast, feeling the weight of them in his hands. Her hands moved down his chest stopping at his jeans. She unbuttoned them slowly, her eyes meeting his. His fingers grazed her sides as his hands traveled lower. He hooked a finger in either side of her underwear and she leaned up so that he could pull them down. He pulled them down slowly, still watching her.

She had imagined what this moment would be like at least a dozen times. Never had she thought that he would want to take his time and take in every inch of her. She had never seen him naked so he had an advantage that she didn't. That was about to change. She pulled her legs from around him before pushing his boxers down.

"I was starting to like having your legs wrapped around me," he murmured.

She slid her legs around him again before wrapping her arms around his neck. She pulled him to her and attacked his mouth greedily. He growled deep in his throat before fisting his hands in her hair. Her tongue battled with his as his heart beat thundered against hers.

His hands moved down her back touching her with a feather light touch before moving to her center. He slipped in one finger, gently working her folds. He had never slept with a virgin before so he had no idea what he was doing. The only thing he did know was that she would need to be stretched first and her vaginal wall would need to be broken. That meant that she was in for a world of pain and he was going to make it as painless as possible.

He figured that his best bet would be to use water as a lubricant so that it would be somewhat easier for her. He pulled her arms and legs from around him reluctantly before turning to turn on the shower. He turned back towards her to see her leaning back against the wall. She was watching him intently, that was her way of asking him what he was thinking without actually asking him.

"I would never intentionally hurt you, you know that don't you?"

"I know," she said with a nod.

"If at any point you want to stop I want you to tell me," he said giving her a pleading look.

"I will," she promised.

He came to stand in front of her again, picking her up and carrying her to the shower. He stepped into the shower with her still in his arms and he shut the shower door while looking down at her.

"You can put me down," she said with a small laugh.

"I like holding you like this," he answered.

"That's because I'm naked," she said rolling her eyes.

"That is why," he said with a nod.

"We aren't going to get very far if you don't put me down."

He set her down then backed her against the stall. The water stung his back so he knew that she wouldn't be able to handle the water just yet. He had set it as hot as it would go so that they could stay in the shower for as long as the water held out. His fingers moved down her stomach to her center and he slipped inside her folds once more.

She took hold of his erection moving her hand down it slowly. Her eyes met his giving him a calming look to let him know that everything was fine. He didn't know how she could do that. No one had ever affected him the way she had. He couldn't get over how she'd rarely had to try at all to get him to open up to her. He had been holding things in for years and then she had come along and he had told her his life story before he had even put the moves on her.

He slipped another finger in feeling her stretch beneath his touch. Her hand moved up and down his length at the pace he had set. He grabbed the shower gel with his free hand and poured some of it down the front of her. He massaged the soap into her skin spending extra time on her breast.

"You'll use any excuse you can to touch me, won't you?"

"Are you complaining?"

"No," she said softly before grabbing the bottle.

She worked up lather over his shoulders and chest before moving down to his stomach. He leaned down to rest his head on her shoulder as he felt his climax fast approaching. He added a third finger and she moaned appreciatively. He spilled his seed onto the shower floor with a groan. He braced his arm on the wall behind her to keep from falling over. Her walls clenched around his fingers and her juices mixed with the water falling over them. She struggled to catch her breath as he pulled away to look at her.

"I'm ready," she said breathlessly.

"Already?" he asked, amused.

"If you're not I can wait."

"Nope, I'm good," he said with a lazy smile.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he guided himself into her.

"I mean it; you need to tell me if it hurts too much."

"I will," she promised again.

He growled deep in his throat as he slowly pushed himself in inch by inch. He could feel her walls stretching to accommodate him yet her face was calm without a trace of worry. It helped to know that she trusted him so much. She pressed herself against him before laying her head on his shoulder. His arms roamed her back as he pushed harder against her vaginal wall.

She hissed in pain when he finally broke through it a few minutes later. He pulled away giving her a worried look.

"The worst part is over, right?" she asked.

"I'm not even half way in," he said shaking his head in concern.

"Take my mind off of the pain. That would help."

"Look at me," he said putting a finger under her chin to tilt her face to his.

She opened her eyes and he saw a small trace of worry. He put his forehead to hers as he started the slow process of filling her. He didn't break eye contact with her as he smiled down at her.

"It's not so bad now," she said returning his smile.

"I want to try something. It will make things easier."

"Okay."

He lifted one of her legs at the knee with one hand and he slipped farther in almost instantly.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," she said in agreement.

She wrapped her lifted leg around his waist and braced her back against the wall. She had never thought of herself as double jointed, but he was starting to prove her wrong. She smiled as she shook her head to push the thought away.

"What?" he questioned.

"I am more inhibited when I am with you. I never would have thought of myself doing anything like this," she answered breathlessly.

"Having sex?"

"No. I mean me pretty much holding myself up on one leg."

"You are proving my theory wrong."

"What theory?" she questioned in confusion.

"You don't need me as much as I thought you did," he murmured.

"I was not thinking that," she said with a shake of her head.

"Tell me."

"I've been a klutz for my entire life. Ever since I met you I haven't so much as tripped over my feet."

"What does that mean?"

"I feel like I'm your equal. I can do anything when I'm with you."

"Including holding your own in the sex department," he stated.

"Especially now," she agreed.

He smirked before leaning down. He cupped her face in his hands as his lips met hers. His tongue swept into her mouth and she moved her hips to meet his thrusts, pushing him the rest of the way inside her. She gasped into his mouth as he picked up the pace. He pulled away from her and buried his face in her neck.

"Wrap your other leg around my waist," he murmured in her ear.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped hers around his neck. She moved up and down his erection as water cascaded over them. His hands gripped her waist to help her set the pace that he wanted. She ran her fingers through his hair tenderly as she closed her eyes.

"Shit," he moaned.

"What?"

"Stand up," he said pulling her legs from around his waist.

She leaned against the wall watching him with concern. He put a hand on her shoulder before putting his forehead to hers.

"Sorry."

"You're close?"

"Yeah," he said quietly.

Her hands slid down his stomach and gripped him with both hands. She worked him slowly making his mouth pull up at one corner. It was the closest she would get to a smile at the moment. Her movements were meticulous and he spilled his seed into her hand less than a minute later.

He pulled away from her to kneel down in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her waist before leaning in. His tongue didn't stay in one place for longer than a few seconds at a time. Her breath hitched then she moaned as he hit her pleasure spot. He worked feverishly making her fist her hands in his hair.

"Oh God," she moaned breathlessly.

She felt her orgasm coming fast as she arched her back to offer herself to him. Her breathing became erratic as her orgasm hit her full force. Paul made his way back up her body placing kisses along the way. Her legs were weak beneath her so she gripped his arms to keep from falling.

"You alright?" he asked, amused.

"My legs are like Jell-O right now. Just give me a minute."

"Mine too," he said with a sigh.

"Mmm," she moaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You've done the unthinkable," he said in wonder.

"I have?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes, you have," he agreed pointedly.

"What did I do?"

"Marry me."

"Seriously?" she asked as she pulled away from him.

"Uh huh," he said nodding his head quickly with a wide grin.

"Okay," she said laughing lightly.

"Tonight?" he questioned hopefully.

"Tonight?" she asked with wide eyes.

"We can be in Vegas in a few hours. Please?"

"We would need to get out of the shower."

"Sex in the shower…Married. Sex in the shower…Married. Just married sex in the shower," he said, his eyes glistening with hope.

"Just married sex in a Jacuzzi," she said correcting him.

"Even better," he said turning off the shower.

Bella pulled the shower door open and stepped out onto the rug. He grabbed the towel from the towel rack and wrapped it around her. He rubbed her arms to warm them as she looked up at him. She smiled broadly when his eyes met hers. He laughed breathlessly with a smile of his own. They got dressed quickly and he called someone to ask them to meet them at the airport.

"Who did you call?"

"We're going to need witnesses."

"I should call my Dad," she said picking up her phone.

"Why not wait until we get back? That way we can tell him together."

"Good idea. That way he won't freak out as bad. I'll hold off on telling my mom too," she said as she threw a shirt and a pair of jeans into an overnight bag.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded as he took hold of her hand. He led her out of the house and Bo followed them.

"What about him?" Bella asked.

"He'll be alright until we get back. He probably won't even move from off the porch," Paul said opening the passenger door for her.

She got in and he closed the door for her. He was in the truck less than five seconds later. He looked over at her giving her a lazy smile.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

His smile widened as he started the truck. She watched the scenery pass by in a blur. She had so many thoughts swirling around in her brain and all of them focused around him. She had done the unthinkable. She had earned his trust when no one else had been able to. She would never understand how she had gotten so lucky.


	15. Throwing Caution Into the Wind

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

**Warning: This chapter contains lemon.**

Bright lights passed by in a dizzyingly rapid rate. Paul sat next to Bella with a hand resting on top of hers. In the front seat Emmett fiddled with the radio while Alice took in the sights outside her window.

Bella leaned against Paul and he pressed his lips to her temple silently. The car slowed enough that Bella could actually see the scenery outside. There were smack-dab in the middle of the city with casinos surrounding them on each side.

"I think that we should find a place to stay first," Emmett said over his shoulder.

"I still don't understand why you insist on paying for our room," Bella protested.

"Every couple deserves a wedding present. This is mine."

"And mine is buying you a dress," Alice added.

"We aren't turning down a free room at a nice hotel," Paul whispered.

"If they try to pay for the wedding I'm putting my foot down."

"I will too," he agreed.

The car came to a stop in front of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Paul opened his door and held out his hand for Bella. She took it and he led her into the building. Emmett was already talking to the concierge and Alice had their bags. Paul pulled her towards the couch in the center of the lobby and they sat side by side still holding hands.

"Why exactly did you ask them to come with us?"

"I wanted someone who wouldn't a lot of questions. Emily would have, but Sam would have asked a million questions. Leah would have come too, but Jacob would have more than likely tried to stop us by calling your dad. Emmett and Alice are the only Cullen's that I trust."

"I can understand that," she said with a nod.

"Let's go Bella. We've only got a few hours before the boutiques close for the night and Paul needs to get ready too," Alice said walking over to them.

"I'll see you later," Bella said kissing Paul's cheek.

"Let's meet back here at eight," Emmett suggested looking between them.

They both nodded in agreement before Alice pulled Bella away. The first store that Alice wanted to try was at the other end of the hotel. The store employees looked at Bella, giving her a cautionary once over. A man walked from the back and walked up to them with no reservations.

"Can I help you?"

"My friend is getting married in a few hours. We're looking for a dress," Alice said giving the man a sweet smile.

"Of course, follow me."

They followed him through the store and the other employees continued to stare at Bella in disbelief. She was starting to feel uncomfortable when the guy stopped at a long row of racks at the back of the store.

"What exactly are you looking for?" he asked looking at Bella.

"Something that isn't so formal, I don't want lace. Nothing too risqué either. I want it to be simple yet understated. It can't be too short either; I don't want to look cheap."

"We're you thinking of having sleeves or going strapless?"

"It doesn't matter," Bella said shaking her head.

"I'm sure we'll find you something," The guy said with a smile.

Bella's eyes scanned the racks looking for something that caught her eye. She started sifting through the dresses until she found what she was looking for. She pulled one off the rack to look at it as Alice came to stand beside her. The dress was ivory white silk with a tiny cinched waist. It was strapless and the bodice was formfitting.

"That is beautiful; do you want to try it on?" Alice asked.

Bella looked at the tag sewed into the side of the dress and realized that it wasn't her size.

"It's not my size, but it is something to go by."

Alice nodded as she continued looking. The man held up a dress to inspect it but Bella couldn't see the front. It looked almost identical to the other except that there was tulle overlaying the skirt of the dress. He held it close to him as he walked over to her.

"You're a size three, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Have a look at this," he said holding the dress for her to look at.

The dress was pulled tight at the waist with a jeweled clip. The skirt was billowy and soft as she held the fabric between her fingers. Alice came back to them looking over Bella's shoulder at the dress.

"That is gorgeous," she said with a nod.

"Would you like to try it on?"

"Yes," Bella said, nodding her head quickly.

Bella and Alice followed him to the back of the store and he held open a changing room door for her. Alice followed her in without thinking twice.

"I might not be able to get it," Bella said as her eyebrows knitted in concern.

"Yes you are," Alice said pointedly.

"I didn't bring a strapless bra with me."

"What size are you?"

"I'm a thirty-four B."

"I'll go find you one," Alice said opening the door.

Bella heard her talking to the salesman and he offered to find her a bra but Alice quickly declined his offer. It seemed like forever before the door opened again. Alice held a few bras in each hand.

"I got several so that you could try the dress on with each one."

"Okay," Bella said as she pulled her shirt over her head.

Her jeans were next and Alice looked her over in the mirror.

"What?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you have an amazing body," Alice said with a coy smile.

"Thanks, I guess," Bella said slowly.

"Your breasts aren't too small and they aren't too big, your stomach is flat enough that you can't see your ribs, which I hate by the way and I would kill to have your ass."

"Paul says my legs are my best feature."

"I would have to agree," Alice said as her eyes traveled lower.

"Turn around," Bella said as she reached around to unclasp her bra.

Bella held out her hand for a bra and quickly pulled on a bra that clasped in front. She pulled the dress on and shook her head in disappointment. The top of the bra was showing over the top of the dress. She pulled at the dress and it didn't work. She pulled the dress off Alice held out another bra.

It clasped in the back and it was a little snug so she took it off without putting on the dress. The next bra also clasped in the back and she liked the cut of it. It was a lace padded bra, so her small breasts were lifted a few inches.

"I think this might be the one," Bella said as she pulled the dress on.

She smoothed down the dress as she looked at herself in the mirror. The bra made all the difference. The dress was pulled across her perfectly, accentuating her breast. It fell just at the knee.

"You look hot. Paul is going to want to take it off of you as soon as he sees you," Alice said in appreciation.

"That's what I was going for."

"How about we get you a pair of underwear to match the bra?" Alice asked hopefully.

"Do we have time to look for some?"

"I already have some," Alice said opening the door.

The salesman handed Alice a handful of underwear and Alice held up a pair of silk bikini briefs. Bella shook her head in disagreement. Alice held out a thin lace pair of bootie shorts next. Bella's eyebrows shot up in intrigue before taking them. She quickly pulled off her underwear and slid the other pair up her legs.

"No panty lines. That's a good sign. I also found some shoes."

"They had better not be sky high heels," Bella warned.

"I think you'll be surprised," Alice said with a sweet smile.

She opened the door again and the salesman handed her a box. Alice opened the box and held out the box for Bella's inspection. The shoes were nonthreatening three inch backless sling backs. She took them out of the box and slipped them on.

"How do they feel?" Alice asked.

"I should break them in."

"Give me the clothes and shoes and I'll pay for them. Then you can wear my jacket. That way Paul won't see your dress until it's time."

She quickly undressed and Alice handed Bella her jacket. Ten minutes later Alice came back. Bella quickly dressed then she donned the jacket again.

"You really do look beautiful. Paul is going to be floored," Alice said as they left the store.

Alice led them to the elevators and pressed the button for the second floor.

"Our rooms are on the second floor?"

"Emmett's and my room is," Alice said with a nod.

The elevator doors opened and Bella followed her without asking anymore questions. She knew that she would never get a straight answer. Inside the room Alice told her to head into the bathroom and that she would be right there.

Alice came in with a large bag and sat it on the counter in front of where Bella sat. She opened the bag and started pulling things out. A straight iron and a curling iron were pulled out first followed by a slew of brushes and more styling products than Bella had ever seen.

"I'm not really a hair spray, gel using kind of girl."

"Are you telling me that your hair is naturally that beautiful?"

"Yes," Bella said with a laugh.

"I am so jealous. You do not want to know how much product I have to use before I am satisfied with my hair."

"I use hairspray sometimes."

Alice plugged in the straightener and curling iron before pulling Bella's hair into sections. She tested the straightener before running it slowly through Bella's hair.

"Are you nervous?"

"No," she answered honestly without thinking twice.

"You look so calm."

"I am. I can't remember a time when I was more at ease."

"I hope I am as calm when I get married as you are right now," she wishfully.

"Do vampires get nervous?"

"You would be surprised," she said seriously.

"I really appreciate you and Emmett doing this."

"Think nothing of it. It was only a year ago when we were doing the same thing," she reminded her with an endearing smile.

"So much has changed," Bella said dauntingly.

"You included."

"Have I changed that much?"

"You have blossomed into this amazingly fearless person who is not afraid to try new things. You have grown so much, I am so proud of you," she said squeezing Bella's shoulders encouragingly.

"Thanks," Bella said with a smile.

Alice squeezed her shoulders once more before moving on to another section of hair. They were silent as Alice finished straitening her hair then worked on curling her hair. She brushed out the curls until soft curls framed her face. She pulled a few strands back with silver comb. She kept her makeup simple and only applied eye shadow and lip gloss. She stood back to examine Bella.

"Your dress is your something new, and the comb is mine so it's your something borrowed."

"So I need to find something old and something blue in half an hour."

"I have something blue in my bag. It's Carlisle and Esme's wedding gift to you," she said heading back into the room.

"How were they able to get something so fast?"

"Esme bought it in the hopes of giving it to you when you married Edward. Your plans may have changed, but hers did not," Alice said from the front room.

Alice came back into the room with a square black velvet box. She sat it on the counter before opening it. Inside was a simple silver necklace with a sapphire pendant the size of a quarter.

"Where did this come from?"

"It's Cartier, I think."

"It's perfect."

Alice came to stand behind her and she pulled her hair over her shoulder. The necklace was in place within seconds and Bella fingered the delicate chain.

"Here, put these on," Alice said pulling off her earrings.

"You're already letting me borrow your hair comb."

"But these will be your something old," she said holding out the earrings.

Alice stood behind Bella taking her in with her hands resting on her shoulders.

"They match the dress."

"Thank you so much. I can't stop saying that," she said shaking her head with a small laugh.

"I am happy to do it. You deserve everything that is happening to you."

"I have earned it," Bella said with a laugh.

"We should head downstairs. The guys will probably be down there."

Once they stepped off the elevator Bella saw Paul across the lobby. He took her in with a smile before making his way over to her. His fingers ran down a sleeve of the jacket before his eyes met hers.

"You aren't naked under there are you?"

"The jacket is to keep you from seeing my dress until the right time," she said with a shy smile.

"Ah," he said, nodding his head in acknowledgment.

"Are the two of you ready to go?" Alice asked.

"Let's go," Paul said, taking hold of Bella's hand.

In the car she turned towards him, leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. She knew that she would have been anxious for the hour and a half that she had been away from him if Alice hadn't kept her occupied. Thoughts of what they would tell her dad put a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. Naysaying aside, she had no other qualms about what was about to happen. She would face her dad with Paul when they got back without complaint. It was time that he was finally put in his place when it came to Paul. He had doubted him for far too long.

XXXX

In the chapel lobby, waiting for the doors to be open so that she could walk down the aisle the fact that her dad wasn't there ate at her conscience. He would be upset that he wouldn't have the chance to walk her down the aisle like most fathers did. She pushed the thought aside as the doors opened. She saw Paul twenty yards away with Emmett and Alice standing off to the side.

She took a calming breath before starting towards him. They had been able to find a preacher at the last minute because she and Paul both refused to be married by Elvis. The ink on their marriage license wasn't even dry yet. She came to stand a few feet away from Paul taking in his demeanor. He was calmer than she was. He looked at her lovingly as he took her hand.

The preacher started and Paul looked down at her with curious eyes when the preacher asked if there was anyone who objected to the marriage. She squeezed his hands in encouragement making him smile. Five minutes later they were announced as husband and wife and he pulled her to him to capture her lips in a gentle kiss. He put his forehead to hers to look down at her.

"Any regrets?"

"No more than most brides would have that didn't have their father walk them down the aisle. He wouldn't have agreed to it anyway," she said sadly.

"We'll tell him first," he said reassuringly.

"I love you," she said putting a hand on his cheek.

He kissed her wrist in response before taking hold of her hand. They followed Emmett and Alice out to the parking lot and Emmett handed Paul the card for the valet.

"You two go back to the hotel. Make use of your room. We'll see you when you get back," Emmett said over his shoulder.

"Congratulations, you two," Alice said before slipping her hand into the crook of Emmett's arm.

Paul looked down at her, taking her in once more. His free hand trailed down her arm as they waited for the car to be brought around. Goosebumps lined her arm as she looked up at him.

"You look beautiful."

"You look good too," she said with a smile.

"You look like an angel. And I am not worthy of your love, but I am not going to screw everything up."

"You'd better not," she said mock glaring at him.

The car was brought around and Paul opened the passenger door for her. The valet said something and Paul nodded with a tight lipped smile. They were pulling out of the parking lot less than a minute later.

"What did that guy say to you?"

"The same thing I told you. He also said that I was lucky."

"He did not," she said rolling her eyes.

"I swear that's what he said," he said with a small laugh.

It took five minutes to get back to the hotel compared to the minute and a half that it had taken to get to the chapel. In the elevator Paul pressed the button for the top floor. Bella stood next to him and he pulled her to him. She looked up at him and he gave her a lazy smile. She smiled back before resting against him.

The elevator door opened to a vast open room with a room at the other end and the far wall was a bank of windows. They stepped off the elevator and he let go of her.

"Take a look around. I'll go put your stuff in the room."

"This is amazing," she said turning in a circle to take in the room.

"You should see the bed. It would fit four of us," he called from the bedroom.

There was a mini bar in the corner stocked with more liquor than she had ever seen. She shut the door and slowly stood seeing Paul watching her out of the corner of her eye. She crossed the room to stand in front of him. She heard water running from inside the room as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He stared down at her tenderly as he pulled her into the room.

His white button down shirt was open so her hands went beneath the fabric to run them over his skin. They stopped at his chest and she felt his heart beating steadily underneath her fingertips. They moved up to his shoulders to push his shirt down his arms. He let go of her long enough to pull it off the rest of the way and she rested her head on his chest. His hands went to her hair and he pulled out the comb.

Her hair cascaded over her shoulders and he pushed it back before hooking two fingers underneath her chin. He tilted her head so that she was looking at him and she smiled up at him. His fingers traveled down her neck to her bare shoulders. His hands moved down her back to unzip the dress. She let the dress pool around her feet after she had taken off her shoes. His hands moved lower to the small of her back as she leaned up to meet his lips.

Her hands moved down to his belt buckle, jerking it free from his jeans within seconds. His jeans lay inches from her dress a few seconds later.

"Bathroom, now," he murmured against her lips.

He pulled her through the dark bedroom to the dimly lit bathroom. He pulled away from her to turn off the water giving her a chance to look around the room. There were tall pillar candles in each corner of the room casting a romantic orange glow over the room. The room was twice the size of her bedroom at her dad's.

He pulled her into his arms again and he reached behind her to unhook her bra.

"This is new too," he said before pulling it off of her.

"Alice decided to buy me lingerie and shoes to go along with the dress."

"It looks good on you, but it looks better off of you," he said with a smirk.

"I thought you might say that," she said giving him a teasing smile.

He kneeled down in front of her, slowly pulling off her underwear. His fingers blazed a searing hot trail up her body starting with her ankle paying attention to her center for no longer than a minute before moving to her torso. He lavished attention to her breasts making her sigh in contentment. His eyes met hers when he finally stood upright five minutes after he had started.

"You're beautiful."

"You don't have to keep saying that," she said smiling shyly.

"It goes without saying, just like I don't always have to say that I love you. You should know it without me having to say it," he said running his fingers through her hair.

"I do know that you love me."

He pulled her towards the steps leading to the Jacuzzi. They stopped in front of the bottom step and he pulled off his boxers before climbing the two steps to step into the water. He held out a hand for her and she took it before walking up the stairs. Once they were both in the tub he sat down pulling her with him so that she sat in his lap facing him. The warm water lapped at their chests as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

She leaned up on her knees, reaching in between them to guide his erection into her. She rocked against him and he draped his arms over her shoulders. She leaned down to brush her lips against his as he lifted himself to meet her rhythm. His hands glided over her back underneath the water making her moan.

Her eyes met his, giving him an intense look as her hands came to rest on his chest. She moved against him in slow fluid motions. She could feel his heart thundering underneath her hands, it was slow and even unlike before. Her heartbeat was almost identical to his. Everything seemed to stand still except for them. She took a few seconds to take in his face. One of her hands caressed his cheek and he leaned into the touch. She smiled down at him as her hand moved over his chin. Her thumb brushed over his lips and he kissed the pad of her thumb lightly.

She sighed before putting her forehead to his. He kissed her, cupping her neck to keep her in place. Her fingers threaded into his hair, brushing her tongue over his bottom lip. He opened his mouth to her and her tongue swept into his mouth. She explored his mouth as his fingers tangled into her hair.

He growled deep in his chest when his moan was cut off by her tongue. She pulled away from him with a smirk when he gave her an even look. She leaned down to his neck so that there was no space between them before applying pressure to his neck. He growled once more, the sensation vibrating through Bella's body. She smiled against his neck but didn't move away.

"You know that whatever you do won't stay for long," he said huskily.

"I know, but you love it just as much as you do," she whispered in his ear.

"If you stop I'm going to be pissed," he threatened.

She laughed softly before kissing behind his ear. She moved up and down his erection slowly, wanting to take her time. So far there hadn't been any discomfort and she was hoping that it would last. He kissed her shoulder after pushing her hair behind her. She took his earlobe between her teeth pulling gently making him hiss.

He put his hands on her shoulders to push her away. She looked down at him knowing what was happening. He was close. She leaned up to let him slip from her and he pulled her off of him completely. He stood, water cascading off of him making him look even more gorgeous than she had ever seen him. He grabbed his jeans from off the floor and pulled something from the pocket while Bella stood in the tub. He held out a hand to help her down the stairs before pulling her to him.

"This isn't over yet. We're just moving to the bed," he said picking her up.

He carried her to the bed, gently laying her down. He opened the condom wrapper in his hand quickly before rolling it down his erection. He pushed his way inside of her once more with a sigh. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him to her. Her tongue ran across his lower lip and he opened his mouth to her. She sighed against his lips as his tongue gently caressed hers.

He moved in and out of her slowly as his hands moved down her body. He stopped at her breast and his thumb and forefinger tweaked her nipple lightly making her breath hitch. He pulled away from her with a lopsided smile.

"You aren't the only one who knows what they're doing," he said before leaning down.

His tongue swirled around her areola slow enough to make her growl deep within her chest. That was something that she had never done before and he had to admit that it turned him on. His teeth pulled at skin making her dig her nails into his shoulders. He would never stop wanting to please her because he knew that she would always want to please him. She was the first girl to bring out any kind of reaction from him. Usually his mind shut down and he felt like he was going through the motions when he was with a girl. Being with Bella was like experiencing everything again for the first time.

He could feel his climax approaching so he knew that he wouldn't last much longer. He quickened his thrusts but made slow work of her breasts. He moved to the other without looking up at her. Her breathing was shallow so he knew that she was close too. He finally lifted his head when he felt his climax was close. He thrust into her a few more times before his seed spilled into the condom. He felt her walls clamp down on him less than a minute later.

They stared at each other, his eyes wide and hers filled with wonder. Her fingers brushed his hair away from his forehead giving him a contemplative look.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"I was just wondering what you were thinking."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said shaking his head.

"How do you know if you won't tell me?" she asked putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Everything is different with you," he mumbled.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" she asked laughing lightly.

"It's something that I didn't plan on," he murmured.

"What's different?"

"I've never had…" he cut himself off, embarrassed.

"You've never…?" she asked with questioning eyes.

Her eyes widened as it dawned on her. He'd never had release before.

"Never?" she asked in accusation.

"No. I have no clue what I'm doing," he said in frustration.

"Then we'll learn together. It's not the crisis that you're making it out to be."

"You don't think any less of me?"

"No," she said shaking her head.

"Not only are you beautiful but you're perfect," he said with a shaky laugh.

"I am not perfect. I'm nonjudgmental."

"You're perfect to me," he said giving her a sincere look.

She smiled before pulling him to her. Her arms rested on his back while his head rested in the crook of her neck. They had a lot of things to work out and they still had things to learn about each other. She knew that things weren't always going to be this good. She would wait out the rough spots because she knew that in the end he would never leave her. It was comforting to know that she had someone to spend the rest of her life with at a young age.


	16. Taking a Stand

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Bella and Paul sat out front of Charlie's house on Sunday night deciding if they should go in. Charlie's truck was in the driveway and the cruiser was in its usual place directly in front of the house. The For Sale sign had a 'contract pending' sign on top of it letting Bella know that the house would soon be sold. Neither of them noticed the truck that pulled in behind hers. Jacob knocked on the driver's side window and Paul turned to look at him as if in a fog. He rolled down the window and Jacob rested his arms on the door.

"You two okay?"

"We're trying to decide the best way to break something to my dad."

"What's going on?" Billy asked, pushing his way up the walkway.

"They have some news for Charlie and they don't know how to break it to him," Jacob said over his shoulder.

"Well, there's safety in numbers. We can help. Come on you two."

Paul helped Jacob carry Billy's chair up the stairs and Jacob looked at Paul's hand which rested on the arm rest.

"You're married?" he asked in shock.

"Yes," Bella said as Billy knocked on the door.

"Congratulations, you two," Billy said with a warm smile.

"Thank you," Bella said.

"Thanks," Paul said looking down at Billy.

Billy nodded as Charlie opened the door. Jacob pushed Billy across the threshold in a daze. They had gotten married and hadn't even told Charlie. Did anyone know? Once inside Jacob headed towards the kitchen. Bella followed him carrying the bags that she had brought with her. She started unloading the groceries that she had bought and he pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

"Can I ask you something?" Jacob asked coming to stand next to her at the counter.

"What?"

"Don't you feel guilty that you didn't even tell your dad?"

"It was a spur of the moment decision," she said not looking up from the hamburger that she was frying.

"It isn't like you to not think things through."

"Can you honestly tell me that if Leah said 'let's get married' tomorrow that you wouldn't consider it?" she rationalized.

"I would at least tell my dad, and you."

"We didn't want it getting back to him before we had a chance to talk to him. You know how he feels about Paul. You're the main reason that he's so leery of him."

"I apologized for that," Jacob said with a sigh.

"I know you did, but that doesn't mean that my dad has changed his mind."

"How long have the two you been married?"

"We got married last night."

"Did you get married here in Washington?"

"No, we went to Vegas."

"Didn't you need witnesses?"

"Emmett and Alice went with us," she answered, her eyes not able to meet his.

"You couldn't ask me?" he asked sounding hurt.

"Like I said, we didn't want my dad to find out before we had the chance to talk to him."

Charlie came into the room and stood in between them with an arm draped over each of their shoulders.

"It's been a while since we did something like this," he said looking between them.

"You're right, it has. I'm going to go in the living room. Bella doesn't need me in here while she's cooking," Jacob said pulling away from Charlie.

"Is everything okay between the two of you?" he asked.

"Yeah, we were just catching up. I haven't seen him in a few days."

Charlie nodded before pulling her to him. He gave her a tight squeeze and she wrapped her arms around him. Paul stood in the hall, pointing to his hand. She pulled off her ring and clutched it in her fist giving him a thankful smile. He winked before going back into the living room. Right now wasn't the best time. They would wait until after dinner. Charlie let go of her and she turned back to the counter, inconspicuously putting her ring in the pocket of her jeans before grabbing a pot from the cabinet below the counter in front of her.

She started a pot of water and dropped the pasta into it. She was making spaghetti since it was her dad's favorite. She was hoping to soften him up. Once the sauce was simmering and the garlic bread was in the oven she came into the living room. The guys were watching the Mariners play the Dodgers and the Mariners were down by two. She stood behind the couch silently.

"Is dinner almost ready?" Charlie asked.

"It's going to be a few more minutes."

"Is there anything that I can do?" he asked.

"I've got it covered."

Paul reached over and intertwined his fingers with hers making her look at him. He gave her a reassuring look and she gave him a small smile. She wasn't sure how her dad would react and it was eating her up inside having to draw it out.

She pulled her hand from Paul's to check on dinner hearing him follow her. He leaned against the counter as she leaned down to pull the bread from the oven.

"I know what's bothering you," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry. I just don't like not knowing how he's going to react. I have a feeling tonight is going to be one of those nights when I wished that Jasper could be here."

"You'll have me," he said giving her a reassuring look.

"I know," she said giving him a smile.

"It's going to be fine."

"Do you think that maybe we should have gone home first? That way we could have worked out what we were going to say?"

"It's better this way. If we had planned it out you would be more nervous than you are now."

She fell against him after setting the bread pan on the stove. He wrapped his arms around her as she tried to calm her breathing. She knew that he was right. It was better that they didn't talk about what they would say. She would have already told her dad without meaning to because she was so nervous.

"Is dinner ready?" Jacob asked from the archway separating the kitchen from the hall.

"Make you a plate," Bella said pulling away from Paul.

Billy wheeled himself in followed by Charlie. They were eating when Charlie turned his attention to Bella.

"Have you gotten settled in at Paul's yet?"

"Not yet. I haven't opened the first box," she said shaking her head.

"But things are good?"

"Things are great Dad," she said giving him a reassuring smile.

"Good."

"What did you two do this weekend?" Billy asked.

Bella eyes met his giving him a cautious look. He gave her a calming look and she sighed.

"We went out," Bella answered.

"What did the two of you do?" Charlie asked, giving her a pointed look.

"We got married," Paul answered for her.

She had been dragging it out like a coward and he had given her an out. She hadn't expected Billy to call them out the way he had and it had knocked her off balance. She looked at Charlie now, taking in his expression. He was giving her the raised eyebrow shocked expression that he always gave someone when they said something that he couldn't believe.

"Dad, are you okay?" she asked.

"You two are married?" Charlie asked evenly.

"Yes Sir," she said gathering all of her confidence for the argument to come.

"Bella, can I talk to you in the living room?" he asked as he stood.

"Excuse us," she said setting her napkin on the table.

In the living room he stood by the fireplace and she sat in his recliner a few feet away. She would have to choose her words carefully so that she didn't upset him farther.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"We didn't decide anything until Friday," she said calmly.

"Does your mom know?"

"Not yet," she said quietly.

"You promised me that you wouldn't do anything reckless. What about school?"

"Dad it's my life and I still plan on going to school," she stated.

"Does he know that?"

"Yes, Paul knows that I plan on going to school."

"This isn't like you."

"Dad you have to trust me. Paul is a good person. He hasn't done anything wrong," she said in defense.

"I was hoping that you had been listening when I talked to you about getting into a serious relationship too young. It's not for everyone."

"Just because you and mom couldn't make it work that doesn't mean that Paul and I can't," she said with a sigh.

"I guess I could be nicer to him. I do like him better than Edward."

"Thanks Dad," she said with a smile.

She walked back into the kitchen to see Paul watching her. She sat next to him and put a hand on his over top of the table. She squeezed it gently before he turned his hand over beneath hers. Billy turned to talk to Charlie and Jacob watched Bella and Paul.

He hadn't expected Bella to get married so soon. He was glad that she was happy so he would be happy for her because that's what she would want. His grudge against Paul was starting to weaken more and more every day. He hadn't contemplated killing him in almost a month. They were civil now and Paul had even joked around with him the last time they were on patrol together. Maybe he wasn't the Spawn of Satan that Jacob thought he was.

XXXX

Bo met them in the yard when Paul pulled up to the house that night. Bo was on his hind legs as soon as Bella opened the door. She laughed as he licked her furiously.

"It's good to see you too," she said scratching behind his ears.

He yelped happily as she pushed him down. Bella walked around the front of the truck with Bo at her side. Paul shook his head with a smile before taking her hand. He put his key in the lock but stopped before turning it. He picked Bella up and she watched him with amused eyes.

"We're going to do this right," he said unlocking the door.

He carried her over the threshold and into their room. He set her down before throwing their bag in the corner. She put a hand on his shoulder to stop him as he leaned over her.

"Why doesn't the house stink?"

"What?" he asked with a laugh.

"I left dinner in the oven Friday night. The house should smell like something died."

"I called Emily and asked her to take care of it."

"You think of everything," she said pulling him to her.

He gave her the lopsided grin that he knew she loved before leaning down. Her lips were pliant under his and opened with little force. His tongue swept into her mouth deftly making her moan. He pulled away from the kiss with a sigh. He rolled off of her to lay on his back with a groan.

"You're probably as tired as I am," he said quietly.

"I am passed tired. I'm worn out."

"Do you work tomorrow?"

"Yes," she said with a groan.

"Go to sleep," he said rolling onto his side to face her.

She turned her head to look at him giving him a sleepy smile before taking his closest hand in hers. Their rings glistened in the moonlight making her smile widen. She was someone's wife. It still hadn't sunk in yet. She had been running on adrenaline all weekend and now that she was tired her mind refused shut down.

"Sleep," he said tiredly.

"I don't think I can," she said with a light laugh.

"I know what you mean, but you're going to have to calm down and make yourself go to sleep," he said draping an arm over her stomach.

His deep even breathing could be heard ten minutes later as she stared at the ceiling. Her mind was finally starting to slow down so she took a calming breath before closing her eyes. She heard Bo's nails click across the floor before he settled on the floor beneath her. Her last thoughts of were of Paul as she slipped into unconsciousness.

XXXX

Bella's phone rang at seven o' clock the next morning jarring her awake. Paul was already gone and she could smell fresh coffee from the kitchen. She reached for her phone blindly before it fell to the floor with a clatter. She groaned as she grappled for it beneath the bed. She finally wrapped her hand around it and nearly fell out of the bed when she tried to quickly pull her arm from beneath the bed. She threw her legs over the side of the bed kicking Bo in the process. He barked in protest before going back to sleep. Her phone was finally silent again so she set it back on the nightstand.

"Well at least someone is going to get to sleep in," she muttered as she walked through the front room in a fog.

She was pouring herself a cup of coffee when her phone rang again. She set the cup down on the counter before making her way back into the bedroom. She stepped over Bo once more to get to her phone. She sighed as she looked at the Caller ID.

"What Leah?" she asked with a sigh.

"You finally decided to wake up?" Leah asked sarcastically.

"It's seven o' clock Lee. Why are you calling me?"

"I am mad at you," she said darkly.

"What did I do?" Bella asked defensively.

"You got married, and I had to hear about it from Jake," Leah accused.

"Can you not lecture me right now? I haven't even had a cup of coffee yet."

"I wanted to call you at two when I found out. Lucky for you Jake was able to talk me out of it," she seethed.

"I'll thank him later," Bella said with a sigh.

"You and Paul are married?"

"Yes Leah, Paul and I are married," she confirmed.

"Well shit Baby Girl, I thought that Jake was pulling a prank on me. Congratulations."

"Nope, I am now Mrs. Paul Miller."

"Mrs. Paul Wesley Miller. Wow. I thought that I would never be able to say that. How did your parents take it?"

"My Dad was skeptic at first but he's adjusting very nicely. I haven't told my mom yet."

"I may not remember much about your mom, but even I know that isn't safe," Leah said with a shaky laugh.

"I'm going to tell her tonight after work."

"You're going to tell your mother over the phone that you are married?"

"It's not like I can tell her in person. She doesn't even know that Paul and I are serious yet," Bella reasoned.

"Why doesn't she?"

"She hasn't been able to talk a lot recently. She's working and on the road with Phil on the weekends. I usually only hear from her once a week."

"Well, then make some time and call her before your dad spills the beans," Leah cautioned.

"I hadn't thought of that."

"I heard Billy talking to Charlie earlier and Charlie was talking about calling her," she stated.

"Damn it," Bella groaned.

"You might want to do it now just in case."

"I guess I can do it now. I have a few hours before I need to go to work. Hopefully that will be long enough."

"Do you really think it will take that long?" Leah questioned,

"My mom is the woman of many questions. "

"Good luck," Leah said with a laugh.

Bella hung up the phone a few seconds later, staring at it unsurely. She took a long pull of coffee before picking the phone up again. She dialed her mom's number hoping that it wasn't too early. Renee picked on the first ring.

"It's about time that you called me," Renee asked expectantly.

"I didn't expect dad to call you so early," Bella said with a groan.

"Well, he did, I just got off the phone with him. What were you thinking getting married? Were you thinking at all?" she accused.

"Yes mom, I was. I wouldn't have gotten married if I had doubts," Bella stated.

"I don't even know what this guy looks like and now he's my son in law Bella!" Renee said exasperatedly.

"I know Mom, and I'm sorry for not telling you first. I didn't think that you would be this upset," Bella apologized.

"Well, I am. Honey, didn't your Dad's and my experience teach you anything? You're too young to understand what goes into a marriage. You're going to get hurt," she cautioned.

"Mom I am not going to get hurt. You've always told me that I am the strongest person you have ever met. I have learned what not to do because of what you and dad went through."

"Come and stay with me for a while," Renee pleaded.

"Mom, I can't do that. I'm working and so is Paul."

"Just you, I'm sure your boss will give you some time off."

"Mom that isn't a good idea," Bella said, sounding leery.

"I miss you," Renee said quietly.

"I miss you too but I cannot drop everything to come and see you. I'll take some time off after everything has settled down and I'll talk to Paul about the two of us coming down to see you," she promised.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise," she vowed.

"I've never even talked to him."

"He has a name," Bella reminded her.

"Paul."

"Yes."

"I don't know your last name now or where to send a wedding gift," Renee said forlornly.

"My last name is Miller and I don't expect you to send me anything."

"Do not take away my motherly right of buying you a wedding gift young lady," she scolded.

"Okay," Bella said laughing lightly.

"Is Paul there now?"

"He's at work."

"Tell me about him."

"He's not like any guy I have ever met. He takes good care of me so you don't have to worry. I can be myself when I'm with him. He's spontaneous, and he has a knack for coming up with crazy ideas getting me to go along with them."

"Like getting married," Renee offered.

"That was the best decision I have ever made."

"That's what I told you when I married Phil, do you remember that?" she asked sentimentally.

"I do."

"Tell me more," she urged.

"He's loyal to his friends, and he's able to hold his own against Dad."

"Your dad approves of him? I didn't get that when I talked to him."

"He is starting to come to terms with the fact that Paul isn't going anywhere. Paul has never been anything but nice to Dad. He even helped do the work on the house."

"What else?"

"We balance each other out. He's a little crazy and sometimes a little off balance, but I keep him grounded. He keeps me from taking life too seriously," Bella explained.

"He sounds like a handful," Renee said discerningly.

"He is. Life with him is never boring. I am so thankful that he was put into my life."

"Well I guess he isn't the bad boy who's out to corrupt my baby that I thought he was," she said with a huff.

Bella laughed as her mom sighed dramatically.

"You said that you will bring him with you if you come down?" she asked.

"He will be with me," Bella promised again.

"And you'll send me a picture of him?"

"As soon as I get off the phone with you," she promised.

"Okay Baby, I love you."

"I love you too."

Bella looked through her phone to find a picture of Paul that she could send to her mom a few minutes later. She found one of him wearing a white muscle tee with khaki shorts. He was sitting on the beach and she was sitting in between his legs leaning against him. His arms were wrapped around her waist and his head was resting on top of hers. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked into the camera. She'd had Leah take the picture almost a month ago. She sent it to her mom then looked through the refrigerator for something to eat.

Her phone vibrated while she was spreading cream cheese onto a bagel. She opened it, seeing that the text was from her mom.

Wow.

That's what I thought when I first saw him.

Just wow.

Bella laughed as she shut her phone again. Now that she had her mom's approval she felt better about not telling her about Paul before. She was sitting at the island when Paul came in ten minutes later. He toed off his shoes before walking over to her. He sat next to her before putting his head on the island.

"What are you doing home?"

"Sam sent me home," he said tiredly.

"How much sleep did you get last night?"

"Three hours."

"Baby, go back to sleep," she said putting a hand on his back.

"Come with me?"

"I wish I could, I have to be at work in an hour and a half."

"What time did you get up?"

"Seven. Leah called me to chew me out because I hadn't told her what was going on. Charlie called my mom and told her that we were married."

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. She thinks you're hot," she said digging a finger into his side playfully.

"That's disturbing," he said with a laugh.

"She wants me to bring you down there to meet her."

"She does?"

"Mm hmm," she said with a nod.

He stood from his stool and turned to open the refrigerator. He pulled the chocolate milk jug out and drank straight from the carton. Bella looked over her shoulder at him giving him a smile. He gave her a tired smile as she stood from her stool. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder burying her face in his neck.

He pulled her to the room and onto the bed with him. She could at least lay with him until he fell asleep. There were so many things that they still needed to learn about each other. She had questions swirling around in her head that she wanted to ask him. They would have to be put on hold for now. His breath evened out after a few minutes and she was able to pull his arms from around her without waking him up.

She crossed the room to open a box that held her clothes when she saw the clothes that they had shed on their way to the bathroom a few nights before. Flashbacks of that night came back as she started the shower. She smiled as she stepped into the shower, thinking that the last few days have been the best three days of her life. She couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.

XXXX

She was stocking the display case when Mike came around the counter. She hadn't seen him in a few weeks since he had been prepping for the upcoming basketball season. He hadn't been shy about telling everyone that he had gotten a basketball scholarship to the University of Washington. She was happy for him and had been one of the first people to congratulate him.

"Are you gonna miss me when I'm gone?"

"I am going to miss you terribly. Who's going to take my mind off of things when it gets boring in here?" she said rolling her eyes dramatically.

"I'm sure you'll manage," he said with a laugh.

"I'm sure I will."

"What did you do this weekend?"

"A lot, I moved in with Paul and then we went to Vegas and got married."

"Very funny," he said laughing.

She held her hand and gave him a sheepish smile.

"You were serious. Wow. I'm sorry, congratulations," he said quickly.

"Thank you."

"He's a lucky guy," Mike said before turning to walk away.

Mike had taken it well. For a while she thought that he still had feelings for her. Paul came in every once in a while and after the third time Mike had finally stopped trying so hard and went back to being just her friend. He was a good guy; he just wasn't the guy for her.

Bella went back to work and half an hour later the bell over the door rang. Two shadows came to a stop behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see Angela and Jessica.

"Did Mike call the two of you?"

"He texted me, I hope that's okay," Jessica said.

"It's fine."

"Congratulations by the way," Angela said joining the conversation.

"Thank you," Bella said with a smile.

"How did your parents take it?"

"My dad is still adjusting and my mom took it better than I thought she would. She's always tried to prevent this kind of thing from happening since she and my dad were my age when they got married."

"We came to invite you to come out with us tonight. Kind of like a belated bachelorette party."

"I don't know," Bella said sounding unsure.

"We wouldn't do anything too crazy. We could just go to the movies."

"Let me call Paul," she said picking her phone up from off the counter.

"Hey," he said answering his phone.

"Hey. Did you get any sleep?"

"I got some. I was very unhappy that you weren't here when I woke up. I thought that you would have called in today," he said teasing her.

"I'm off tomorrow."

"And I'm not. It's all right; we'll make up for it tonight."

"About that, a couple of my friends invited me out tonight. They were upset that they didn't get to do something for me before we got married."

"I have to give up my Bella time?"

"Just for a few hours," she reasoned.

"We'll bring her back in one piece," Jessica called.

"No strippers," he warned.

"There might be," she said with a light laugh.

"If you can promise me that there won't be a stripper I'll give a private strip tease when you get home," he offered suggestively.

"That is tempting. No strippers you two," she said quickly.

"Darn!" Jessica said with a laugh.

Bella was off the phone a few minutes later and Jessica said that they would come back when she got off. She was glad that she would get to spend time with them before they left for school. Her phone vibrated and she picked it up. Alice had texted her.

See you tonight!

Angela had mentioned that she was going to invite Alice and Rosalie but she hadn't thought that they would accept. She felt better about the situation now that they were coming. She couldn't imagine spending the night with anyone else, except for Paul.

XXXX

Paul got woken up to the sound of someone on the front porch. Bo's loud barking started within seconds. He threw his legs over the side of the bed when the person knocked on the door.

"Knock it off," he warned as he pulled Bo away from the door.

He opened the door to let Sam in all the while holding Bo back. Once he saw Sam his tail thumped against the floor. Sam patted his head before walking into the house. Paul let go and Bo immediately went back to the bedroom to lie down. The excitement was over and he had worn himself out.

"What are you doing here?"

"You and I need to talk," Sam said.

"About what?" he asked gruffly.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were thinking of asking Bella to marry you?"

"It was a spur of the moment thing. I didn't realize that I had to talk it over with you. You didn't ask for my opinion when you decided to ask Emily to marry you."

"I didn't say that I had a problem with it, but I thought that you and I would get to something together while we were both still single."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. It's so spur of the moment, I hadn't come up with anything," Sam said with a shrug.

Paul shook his head with a light laugh. Not many people knew about Sam's sarcastic sense of humor. They had been best friends since they were kids. Sam's family had there for him for as long as he could remember.

Sam sat at the island watching Paul while he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. He grabbed one for Sam before closing the refrigerator.

"How did her dad take it?"

"He still doesn't like me," Paul said with a forced smile.

"You can change that."

"How am I supposed to do that? Not only am I the guy who tried to attack his daughter but I'm also the guy she married without talking to him first. He thinks that I'm going to stop her from going to college."

"Are you?"

"No," Paul said giving him a hard look.

"You need to talk to him without her around. Make him see that you won't hurt her and that you make her happy. Remind him that except for the first time that you met her you have treated her right. Everyone makes mistakes. He can't hold the one time you lashed out over your head. It could have been a lot worse."

"Em's dad still doesn't like the idea of you being together does he?"

"No," he said quietly.

"I can talk to him until I'm blue in the face and he still won't understand."

"Maybe it's time you told him why you are the way you are. He might understand where you are coming from then."

"No way," he said shaking his head slowly.

"You don't know how he's going to react."

"Yes, I do. He's going to think that I'm more mentally unhinged than he already does," Paul reasoned.

"You are not mentally unhinged. You had a bad childhood. You're trying to make something of yourself. What happened to you does not define who you are."

"Yes it does."

"No, it doesn't. Do you know how lucky you are? Most people who have dealt with abuse become abusers themselves. You could be an alcoholic like your mom. You have turned something bad into something positive."

"I never looked at it that way."

"Do you honestly think that Bella would be with you if she thought that you were a bad person? Imprint or not, I don't think that she would be with you if she didn't want to be," Sam said pointedly.

"Thanks," Paul said appreciatively.

Sam stood from the stool and moved around him to open drawers. Paul turned to watch him go through drawers until he found what he was looking for. He held up a deck of cards triumphantly.

"How much money do you have on you?"

"Maybe a hundred," Paul said with a shrug.

"I'm gonna call Jared and Jake, you call Embry and Quil. I know what we can do."

The five friends gathered at the island and Paul's mind was taken off Bella, even if only for a few hours.

XXXX

Bella was locking up the store when someone pulled up behind her. She heard the cars window being rolled down before turning to look over her shoulder. Alice beamed at her from the back seat.

"I told Jessica that we would meet her at the restaurant. Get in."

"What about my truck?"

Emmett got out of the car on the other side and walked around the back of the car.

"Keys please," he said holding out his hand.

She smiled at him before dropping her keys into his hand. She walked around the car and they pulled away at the same time Emmett did. Esme turned around in her seat to smile at Bella. Bella returned the smile as Rosalie pointed the car towards Port Angeles.

"What exactly are we doing?"

"We're going out to dinner, and then we're going to play it by ear," Alice said.

"We're meeting Jessica and Angela at a restaurant in Port Angeles?"

"Leah and Emily too," Rosalie said.

"We thought that you might want them there," Esme said still watching Bella.

"I meant to ask if they could come."

"We're already on top of it," Alice said patting her leg.

"I appreciate all of you doing this."

"It's our pleasure. You deserve to have some fun after everything that you've been through," Esme said with a smile.

"I saw how your dad handled the news. I can tell you that he will have a change of heart. It came to me out of the blue. I have a feeling that Paul is going to do something to change his mind," Alice said sympathetically.

Bella nodded wishing that she knew what would happen herself. She would just have to wait and find out at the same time everyone else did. The ride to Port Angeles was filled with talk about what Bella had missed out on in the Cullen's lives. She hadn't seen or talked to any of them except Alice since the battle. She was glad that everything had been put behind them and that they didn't hold a grudge against her for choosing not to be with Edward.

At the restaurant Jessica and Angela had reserved a private room. There were candles and flowers lining the table that ran the length of the room.

"Are we expecting anyone else?" Bella asked.

"No," Jessica said shaking her head.

"You guys didn't have to do all of this. It's too much."

"You only get married once; we wanted it to be special," Emily said draping an arm over her shoulders.

Leah came to stand in front of them and took Bella's left hand in hers. She inspected Bella's ring in scrutiny before her eyes met Bella's. The ring was a simple thin gold band, they hadn't wanted anything complicated. She let Bella's hand slip from hers, giving her a stern look.

"Are you still mad at me?"

"A little," Leah said, her lips forming a hard line.

"I'm sorry for not telling you."

"I found out that Emily knew before it happened."

"That wasn't my doing, Paul called her. That is not my fault," Bella said in defense.

"That's what she said."

"Come on, how long are you going to stay mad at me?"

"Until you promise to name your first child after me," she said with a teasing smile.

"Bitch," Bella said shoving Leah's shoulder playfully.

"Congratulations," Leah said pulling her in for a hug.

Leah held her tightly as Alice introduced herself to Emily then introduced Emily to everyone else.

"You are warped, you know that right?" Bella asked with a laugh.

"I've got to keep Jake on his toes somehow," Leah said once she had let go of her.

The two of them sat on either side of Emily as a waiter came to take their drink orders. One conversation flowed into the next during dinner and soon Esme was asking for the check.

"I thought that this was your and Angela's idea," Bella said looking at Jessica.

"Nope, Alice called me Friday night to tell me what had happened. This was all the Cullen's idea."

"She was a decoy so you would say yes," Rosalie said.

"I thought Mike had told you."

"I haven't talked to him all summer," Jessica said rolling her eyes.

"The night is still young ladies. We do have somewhere else to be," Esme said getting their attention.

"The next place was my and Jessica's idea," Angela said coming to stand next to Bella.

The car ride took less than ten minutes and Bella took in the building with scrutiny. They had driven around to the back of the building which confused her. Alice opened her door for her and she heard the sound of pulsing music. They wouldn't have taken her to a strip club after she had asked them not to would they?

She followed behind everyone else slowly, wondering what was going on. When they got around front she saw the line of people waiting underneath a neon sign waiting to get in. They were at the bar that she had seen the vision of Edward for the first time. What where they doing there? She wrapped a hand around Jessica's arm making her stop.

"What are we doing here?"

"There's supposed to be a good band playing tonight. We figured since we couldn't take you to a strip club we would do the next best thing."

"Who said she couldn't go to a strip club?" Leah asked.

"Paul," Angela said with a smile.

"Why?" Rosalie asked.

"Why go a strip club when you have a perfectly good husband at home?" Alice asked before Bella could answer.

"Thank you."

"That is one image of Paul that I didn't need," Emily said with a light laugh.

"Seen it, it's forever burned into my brain," Leah said.

"How did that happen?" Jessica asked with wide eyes.

"It's amazing what he will do when someone dares him to do it," Leah said with a shameful shake of her head.

Leah looked over her shoulder and gave Bella a sly smile. Bella laughed lightly as she pulled out her wallet to grab her ID. Angela paid the ten dollar cover charge for her then the guy stamped her with a stamp that said that she was under twenty one. The band was setting up when they sat in the back. Esme and Jessica went to get all of them something to drink and Bella took in the dark room. It was smaller than it looked from outside. There was only one pool table in the corner. All four TV's were tuned to a baseball game and were turned down low. Almost all of the patrons were crowded around the biggest TV which sat along the back wall at the other end.

She didn't know what she was going to tell Paul. He hadn't been shy about voicing his distaste for bars and alcohol in general. She understood where he was coming from and she thought that since she wasn't drinking that he wouldn't have a problem with it. It wasn't like she was ever going to come back here again after tonight anyway.

By the end of the night three guys had asked for her number compared to the ten who had asked for Rosalie's. The look of defeat that all of them had when walking away when she told them that she was married almost made Bella want to laugh. It hadn't stopped Leah from laughing though. She had been asked for her fair share of dances but no one had asked for her number. She let a few of them take her onto the dance floor but by the fourth time she started telling them no.

Rosalie pulled up to the house at a little before midnight. The house was dark except for the light above the stove when she walked in. All was quiet as she walked through the front room to the bedroom. She undressed quickly before climbing into bed in her bra and underwear. Paul turned to face her with a sigh. He draped an arm over her stomach, burying his face in her neck. He kissed her pulse point before pulling away.

"Why does your hair smell like smoke?"

"Jessica and Angela took me to hear a band at this bar in Port Angeles. Nothing happened and I am never going back again," she added the last sentence when she heard his deep sigh.

"Did you have fun?"

"I did. What did you do tonight?"

"I played poker. I can't complain; I took everybody's money."

"Good for you," she said kissing him lightly.

"So, did you go to a strip club?"

"No."

"You'll get your reward tomorrow night then," he said before pulling her closer.

She sighed before closing her eyes. He wasn't as mad as she thought he would have been about her going to a bar. She knew that if she had kept it from him and he had found out from someone else he would have been mad, so being upfront and honest was the best thing to do. His deep even breathing and the sound of his heart beating steadily against hers lulled her to sleep a few minutes later.


	17. Making Amends

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

Paul was in the shower when he heard Bo start to bark. He growled in frustration as when someone knocked on the front door a minute later. He jerked at the shower knobs to turn the water off before pulling the shower curtain open. He grabbed a towel and quickly threw it on.

"Shut up Bo!" he ordered as he flung open the bathroom door.

The dog whined from the front room as the person at the door knocked again. He crossed the bedroom and walked through the front room in four strides, that was setting a new record. Bo sat on his haunches in the corner by the window looking out forlornly.

Paul sighed as he opened the front door. His eyes met the persons on the front porch seconds later. His father stood on his porch with his arm in a sling. He hadn't seen his dad in over two months. The last he had heard he was out to sea.

"I guess I can understand why you won't invite me in," Tom Miller said breaking the silence.

"Come in. Just let me deal with him and get dressed," Paul said as he sighed again.

He grabbed Bo's collar and Bo fought him the entire way to the bedroom. His towel had come undone in the process making him growl at the dog in frustration. He shut the bedroom door behind him quickly so that Bo wouldn't try to make a run for it. He quickly found something to put on while he heard his dad walking around in the other room.

Tom was sitting at the island when Paul opened the door a few minutes later. Paul went to the refrigerator and grabbed two cans of soda before sitting across from him.

"I heard you got married."

"Last week," Paul said with a nod.

"Your mom and I lived in a house like this one when we first got married."

"I never knew that."

"Things were simpler then, she was a different person. You were born at home, right on the bathroom floor," Tom said with a laugh.

"Why are you here? You haven't spoken to me in almost four years."

"Your mom is dying Paul. Her kidneys are failing and she's got lung cancer. She's refusing to go to the doctor."

"That's what happens when you drink and smoke too much."

"Son, I know that she was never the mother she should have been to you but she's the mother you got. I tried to be there for you. Hell, I even asked Tammy Uley to adopt you at one time. She would have too if your mom hadn't thrown a bitch fit."

"I know you did dad, Sam told me," Paul said looking down at his hands.

"I hoped that I wouldn't have to tell you this. My dad passed away when I was about your age. He was a fisherman like me. He spent his whole entire life on the water. He was never home for longer than a week or two at a time. My Momma died when I was ten and I was left to take care of your Aunt Sadie and Uncle Dave. Your grandpa liked to drink, a lot. He was mean when he was drunk just like your mom. I can't tell you how many times he beat on me when I was younger just because I was doing something that he thought that I was doing wrong. When your mom started drinking and you first told me about the beatings I wanted to take you and run. But I couldn't. Your mom didn't have anyone to take care of her. You know that her parents died when she was still young and that she was raised by her grandparents. I thought maybe I could help her, but she refused. I am so thankful that Tammy was there to help. She was a real blessing."

"Yeah, she has been."

"What's your wife like? I haven't seen her around."

"Bella's great. She puts up with my crap the way no one else can. She's not afraid to tell me when I'm being an asshole and she loves me even though I don't understand why sometimes."

"I haven't seen her before, that's why I was surprised to hear about it from Quil Atearra."

"Quil Junior?"

"No, Senior, I ran into him at the hospital when I went in to have my arm looked at. Some rookie thought that he was invincible and climbed the netting on his own without a spotter. Dumb kid got caught up there in the middle of a storm. He walked away without scratch and I threw my shoulder out of socket," Tom said shaking his remorsefully.

"How long are you home for this time?"

"For good, with your Aunt Sadie being pregnant and Tammy being sick herself no one is able to take care of your mom."

"Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for her? She did it to herself Dad," Paul said with a scoff.

"I know she did Son, but that don't mean that you get to hold it over her head. She doesn't have much longer and she's been asking about you."

"She's dying, and now she decides to be a mother? That's great," Paul said darkly.

"I had a lot of anger towards your granddad when he died. I regret to this day not telling him how I felt about what he had done. Do you want to be like me?" Tom asked giving Paul a hard look.

"No Sir," Paul said hanging his head in shame.

"Your aunt and Uncles are coming by the house on Saturday. Would you be able to come?"

"I guess I can ask Sam if I can have the day off."

"I'm pretty sure he would understand given the situation."

"Bella wouldn't be able to be there. She's the only one working that day."

"You're doing the right thing Son. I'm proud of you," Tom said as he stood.

He left silently and Bo's pawing at the bedroom door went unregistered as Paul pulled out his phone. He pulled up Bella's number before pressing send. It rang once before she answered.

"Hey," he said weakly.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"How do you do that? You always know when something is wrong with me."

"You sound like something is bothering you. I'm leaving now. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you," he said with a sigh.

He knew that her dad wouldn't like that she was bailing on him but he needed her more than her dad did at the moment. He was still at the counter when she came in. Bo was whining louder than she had ever heard him so she let him out of the room before coming to sit next to Paul. She put a hand on his to get his attention.

"My dad came by earlier," he said, looking down at their hands.

"What did he say?"

"My mom is dying and he wants to me to make amends with her."

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't want to hate her anymore. This might be the last chance I get to talk to her. My dad says that she doesn't have much longer."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"This is something that I need to do on my own. I wouldn't push you away if you wanted to comfort me when I get back though," he said with a smirk.

"You have never pushed me away," she said with a light laugh.

"I'm not going to ruin a good thing. I'm not stupid."

"What's the rest of your family like?"

"Sadie is a few years younger than my dad. She left town after my granddad died when I was two.

I don't remember much about her other than what my dad has told me. She married my Uncle Jay when she was twenty and I was the ring bearer at their wedding. There are pictures somewhere at my parent's house. My Uncle Dave is closer to my age than my Dad's. My grandmother died due to complications from having him. He lived with us until he was sixteen and I was eight. He talked my dad into letting him go to Military School and he enlisted in the Army as soon as he was eighteen. I haven't seen him much since, but I've gotten at least one letter a month from him ever since."

"That's good that your uncle kept in contact with you even though you weren't talking to your dad."

"Dave's a good guy," he said with an agreeing nod.

"If the two of you are so close, why didn't he do anything about what your mom was doing to you?"

"He didn't know. If he had he probably would have killed her. He and I are a lot alike."

"He never questioned why you left home while you were still in school?"

"He knew that I had problems with my mom, he just didn't know how bad it was. He and my mom have never gotten along."

"I think it's good that you're getting a chance to talk to your mom. Did your dad apologize for not being there?"

"He's been apologizing since I was nine. He didn't want me to come from a broken home like he did, so he refused to leave her."

Bella nodded, taking the knowledge in. She turned in her seat and pulled him to her. He buried his face in her neck with a ragged sigh. It had been an emotionally draining day for him and now he was ready to crawl into bed and forget the day. She slid off of her stool, pulling him off of his at the same time. He leaned against her as she dragged him to the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and she knelt in front of him to take off his shoes. She undid his shorts and he leaned up enough that she could pull them down. She pulled his shirt over his head before he leaned back against the pillows. She toed off her shoes before crawling into bed with him. She shimmied out of her shorts and pulled her tank top off before pulling him to her again. His breath evened out a few minutes later as she ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.

This was the most information about his family that he had given to her at one time. She was glad that he hadn't been completely alone growing up. He'd had Sam and his mom, and he'd had his uncle to lean on when he was around. Some people didn't have that many, so she considered him lucky for having the people that he did have.

XXXX

Sam had been quiet for the entire ride to Spokane. It had only been a week ago that Leah had gotten the call from her adoption worker that let her know that Sean's adoptive parents were willing to let Sam see the baby. Leah had emailed them back and forth for a few days working out the details before they finally agreed that Leah and Sam should come to them instead of meeting half way.

Leah was nervous because Sean had changed so much since she had last seen him for his first birthday. His adoptive parents had surprised her by inviting her to the birthday party. Would he remember her? She doubted it, but it was nice to think about. Amy, his mother said that she had been telling him about her and Sam and the selfless act that Leah had done so that he would have a better life than she could give him.

She knew that Sam was nervous; it showed in everything that he did. She had been surprised that Emily wasn't with them. Leah had told them both that Amy and her husband James wanted to meet both Sam and Emily and possibly Jacob but Sam had thought that it would be a good idea for it to be just the two of them, at least for this one time since it was his first time seeing Sean.

Sam slowed to grab the directions from next to him. He looked down at them before looking at the house number on the mailbox closest to them. He drove past a few more houses before pulling into a driveway. A white ranch style house with a sprawling front yard sat in front of them.

The two of them walked to the door in silence. Leah rang the doorbell while Sam looked down at his feet with his hands shoved into his pockets. The front door opened and a woman with shoulder length blond hair answered the door with a warm smile.

"You've cut your hair," Amy said quietly.

"Just a little," Leah said laughing nervously.

"The last time I saw her it was down to the middle of her back," Amy said turning to Sam.

"Sam this is Amy Thomas. She's Sean's mom. This is Sam."

"It's nice to finally meet you. Leah's told me a lot about you."

"You too," Sam said not able to meet her gaze.

"Come in," Amy said opening the door.

Sam let Leah go in first and Amy stood a few feet away waiting to show them around.

"Could we have a minute?" Leah asked.

"Sure. I'll be in the kitchen. It's just around the corner," Amy said pointing down the hall.

Sam quietly took off his shoes after seeing Leah take off hers and set them by the door. She put a hand on his arm to get his attention. His eyes met hers giving her an unsure look.

"I was nervous the first time I saw him after giving him up too. I only had pictures of him and I didn't think that he would know who I was. As soon as I saw him all of my nerves went away. He's too young to understand what's going on, so I'm sure that he won't hold a grudge against you for at least another ten years," she said giving him a playing nudge.

"Thank you."

"Amy and James would never let him think badly of you. That's not the kind of people they are."

"How do you know that?"

"I wouldn't have chosen them if I thought for a second that they would do that."

Sam looked into the living room looking for a little boy who looked like the boy he had seen in the pictures. In the middle of the room Sean played quietly with a man with dark hair and thin wire glasses.

"Hi James," Leah said getting the man's attention.

"Leah, it's good to see you again," James said before standing.

He picked up Sean and carried him over to them, stopping at the archway to the living room a few feet away from them. Sean laid his head on James' shoulder and James rubbed his back soothingly.

"He's shy," James said looking down at Sean endearingly.

"He gets that from you," Leah said giving Sam an even look.

"It's nice to finally meet you Sam," James said holding out a hand in greeting.

"You too," Sam said shaking James' hand.

"I'll let the two of you talk so that he can have some time with Sean. I have some pictures that I want to show Amy," Leah said before walking down the hall.

In the kitchen Amy was icing a cake and there were presents on the table. Leah placed the presents from her, Sam and her mom with the rest before sitting at the island in front of Amy.

"I brought the pictures that you were asking about," Leah said pulling an envelope out of her bag.

She set one picture on the table and Amy picked it up. She smiled tenderly at the toddler smiling broadly back at her.

"The resemblance is uncanny," Amy said setting the picture down.

"My mom said the same thing when I showed her a picture of Sean for the first time," Leah said putting the picture back in the envelope.

Sean really did look like Seth down to his deep dimples. There was no trace of Sam in Sean and Leah was sorry that it had worked out the way that it had. She set another picture on the counter and Amy looked at it while she continued icing the cake.

"How old is he here?"

"He's sixteen. That is his school picture from this year."

"You're parents made gorgeous children."

"Thank you," Leah said smiling shyly.

"What is Sam like?"

"He's a good person; he has a very good sense of right and wrong. He's a good role model for Seth. He's been there for Seth a lot since our dad died."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I was upset with my mom for letting it happen at first. Seeing him was like pouring salt into an open wound for a few weeks after I came back."

"Why did you decide to stay?"

"Because of Jake, things are really good for us now. I can go back to college later. The main reason I left was because I didn't want to face things. I'm not the person I was when I left."

"You're stronger now," Amy said as she nodded her head in understanding.

"Yeah; that reminds me, I have a picture of Jake to show you," she said pulling the last picture out of the envelope.

Amy's eyes were wide as she looked at the picture. She was silent as she took Jacob in. She set the picture down with a shake of her head.

"It looks like your kids will be even more gorgeous than you and your brother are."

"You can't forget Sean," Leah said with a laugh.

"I would never forget Sean. He's such an Angel. I thank you every night in my prayers for giving me the chance to be a mother."

"He seems to be adjusting pretty well."

"He's pretty perceptive for his age. I have a feeling that I am going to have my hands full when he learns how to say 'What's that Mommy?'"

"Seth drove everybody crazy doing that. You couldn't take your eyes off of him for a second or he would be outside chasing after a frog to bring into the house."

"Thanks for the warning," she said with a grateful smile.

"I thought that you were throwing him a birthday party today."

"This is a birthday party that only you and Sam were invited to. James and I thought that it would be more special this way since today is his birthday."

"Thank you," Leah said quietly.

"I will never be able to thank you enough for the precious gift that you have given James and I. I don't think that I would have been able to handle it as well as you have if I were you."

"It wasn't easy. I didn't really start to think that I was stable until a month ago."

"That's when Jacob came into the picture?"

"That's when I realized that I loved him. He's been in the picture for years," she explained with a shake of her head.

"It's funny how things work out sometimes. Something good always comes out of something bad, you just have to be patient."

Leah nodded her head in agreement. Jacob had come as a complete shock to her. She had been alone for so long that she had trouble letting someone else shoulder some of the responsibilities. He had stuck around and shown her that he was there for her in a way that no one else could be.

James came into the room carrying Sean with Sam following a few steps behind him.

"You two didn't have to get him anything," James said looking at the presents added to the pile.

"We wanted to. Our mothers got him something too," Sam said with a kind smile.

"Leah says that you're going to be getting married soon," Amy said as she finished icing the cake.

"Very soon," he said with a nod.

"Finding out about an unknown child must have put a lot of strain on your relationship."

"It did, but Emily and I have worked through it."

"We just want to be sure that we won't be served with papers from your lawyer stating that you're taking back your rights because you didn't realize what you were signing," James broached calmly.

"I would never do that. Emily has been working on breaking my habit of not reading important documents before I sign them for as long as she has known me. Sean is yours now."

"We'd like to meet to me her, Jacob as well. Sam was telling me that the three of you have known each other all of your lives," James said to Leah to change the subject.

"We live on a small reservation. Everyone knows everyone else. It's one of the drawbacks of small town life. You can't hide, and everyone knows your business," Leah said with a sigh.

"I can see how that would be a problem," James said in agreement.

"Sam, would you like to feed Sean?" Amy asked.

"Would he let me?"

"It's a good way of seeing if he trusts you. He won't let just anyone feed him."

"Sure," Sam said with an uneasy smile.

Amy heated up chicken nuggets for Sean then cut them up before handing the plate to Sam.

"Do you have any younger brothers or sisters Sam?" James asked.

"I have an older sister," Sam said shaking his head as he put a few pieces of chicken on the table.

"He helped me with Seth when we were younger," Leah said proudly.

"So you do have some experience with babies."

"Yes," Sam said with a nod.

"Yes," Sean said with a mouthful of food as he nodded his head.

Sam laughed as the little boy continued to watch him while he ate. Leah could see that Sam was starting to feel more at ease. She was glad that he was letting his guard down. Sean played quietly while Sam fed him and when he was done Sam wiped him clean.

"He likes you. That's good," Amy said with an encouraging smile.

"I was worried that he wouldn't."

"Leah was worried about that too when she came to see us last year. He's very gentle minded and kindhearted. I have never seen such a well behaved baby," Amy said running her fingers through Sean's hair.

"See? I told you he was like you," Leah said nudging Sam.

"Can I hold him?"

"Sure."

Sam unbuckled the harness of the booster seat before reaching for the baby. Sean held out his arms for Sam willingly and immediately put his hands to Sam's face. He patted Sam's cheek lightly as Sam watched him with curious eyes. Sean gave him a wide smile which he returned.

"Can you say Sam?" Amy asked Sean.

Sean studied Sam intently, still smiling.

"Sam," Sean said quietly.

"It's an easy name to say. Leah's brother said it before he could say Leah and Dada."

"He did?" James asked.

"It was his second word."

"He won by default," Leah said rolling her eyes playfully.

"That is fascinating," Amy said.

"Seth has always looked up to Sam as an older brother."

"How about we go into the living room and let him open his presents?" Amy asked.

Sean's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands.

"He knows what that means," Sam said with a laugh.

"Amy spent a week telling him what it meant."

"I would wrap things from around the house and let him open them."

"That's a really good way to teach him," Leah said with a nod.

Sam carried Sean into the living room and when he tried to sit the baby on the floor he held onto his neck tightly.

"No," Sean said shaking his head.

"He wants you to keep holding him," Amy said with a smile.

"That's fine."

Sam sat in the floor with Sean in his lap and Amy handed the baby a present. He tore at the paper quickly and his eyes lit up when he saw a stuffed Elmo. Sam pulled it out of its box and Sean immediately reached for it.

"We're trying to teach him how to count. Sesame Street is the only thing that has worked," James said as the little boy clutched the stuffed animal.

Amy handed Sean another gift and he stared at it in wonder. It was a pull along caterpillar that played music. Once all the gifts were open he had a Thomas the Train set and the smallest bat and glove that Leah had ever seen along with a plastic baseball.

"I play baseball and he's been asking me to let him play," James said when Leah asked about them.

"Throw, Daddy!" Sean said excitedly.

"Later," James said as Sean climbed into his lap holding the ball.

"Are you ready for cake and ice cream?" Amy asked.

"Yea," Sean said clapping his hands happily.

Leah put her camera back in her bag before following everyone else back into the kitchen. She must have taken fifty pictures. She hung back while James put Sean back in his booster seat. She found it hard to believe that two years had passed by so quickly. She could honestly say that she had matured a lot in the time since she'd had Sean. There was a time when she thought that she would never feel whole again.

Sam looked over at her giving her a curious look. She shook her head letting him know that he didn't need to worry. She shouldn't be feeling sorry about herself. Sam obviously felt out of place. She'd felt out of place when she came to visit for the first time too. Telling Sam about Sean had taken a lot of courage, but making the decision to come and meet him had been a huge step for Sam.

He still carried blame for what happened and Leah had put more stress on top of it. She hadn't meant to do that but Sam needed to know before Sean was old enough to start asking questions and possibly start looking for him.

Telling him had been the right decision; it was what she needed to move past all of the hurt and anger that she held towards him. She hoped that one day he would see that she hadn't set out to purposely hurt him.

Three hours later they were on their way home and Sam was silent again. Leah wanted to talk to him, get his opinion on things but she knew better than to force him into talking. She didn't feel like dealing with the blow up that would ensue while they were still in the car.

"I'm not mad at you," he said breaking the silence.

"You're not?"

"No," he said, keeping his eyes on the road.

"How did you know that was what I was thinking about?"

"You're like an open book. It's written all over your face."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. Just because we aren't together anymore doesn't mean that you can't talk to me."

"I know. It's just easier to talk to Jake."

"You are each other's imprints," he reasoned.

"Do you ever wonder why we didn't imprint on each other?"

"Sometimes," he answered honestly.

"Why do you think it happened?"

"You needed someone who could handle you better than I could and Jake needed someone who wouldn't give him whatever he wanted all the time. You two balance each other out."

"He's not that bad. I wish that he had given you a chance before he changed. He would see what I see."

"Things happen for a reason Lee, he and I weren't meant to be friends before all of this happened."

"I guess you're right. He really is a good person; you just need to be easier on him."

"I know he's a good person, I'm just a little bitter," he said with a frustrated sigh.

"Why?" she asked in confusion.

"If none of this had happened, if the Cullen's had never come here, Jake and Bella would probably be together and you and I would be the ones raising Sean."

"Does Emily know you feel this way?"

"She's my imprint Leah, I tell her everything."

"She hasn't mentioned it," Leah mumbled.

"She's a saint. I don't know what I did to deserve her."

"You joined the pack Sam."

"If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have. You know that don't you?"

"I know," she said quietly.

"I guess that I could be a little nicer to Jake."

"Talk to Paul about being nicer to him too and don't tell me that you don't get a kick out of seeing him take Jake down a few notches."

"It is pretty funny sometimes," Sam admitted as a smile tugged at his lips.

"Does Paul know what you think of Jake and Bella?"

"He knows. He's more thankful than anybody that I joined the pack. Don't tell Bella, please?"

"Keeping it from her would be a good idea," Leah said, nodding her head in agreement.

The car was silent again as the conversation was dropped. She wished that he hadn't told her that he wished that he hadn't joined the pack. It was nice to think about the way that things used to be, but she knew that things would never be the same again. She was looking forward to a future with Jacob. She could see herself being happy with him for the rest of her life.


	18. A Changed Man

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Warning: This chapter does contain lemon.**

The house had changed so much since Paul had last seen it. He had made a point never to come to this side of the Reservation so that he would never have to see it and face the memories that came along with it. He noticed that the ground around the porch was bare; he would talk to his dad about putting some grass seed down. There was a time when his dad had taken great pride in how the yard looked and he found it hard to believe that he would let it get that way.

The banisters on the porch were loose and he was tempted to go around back and get the tools from the shed to fix it. He stopped himself when he remembered that it wasn't his job to do that anymore. The top stair creaked under his weight making him shake his head in dismay. He noticed that the door needed a fresh coat of paint as he stepped up to it. He knocked lightly, hearing voices on the other side.

His aunt was the one who answered the door. She took him in with a smile once she had let him in. He let her pull him in for a hug and he hugged her half hardheartedly.

"You turned out to be so handsome. Doesn't he look like Dad, Tom?"

"He does," his dad said with a nod.

Tom and Jay sat at the small table in the corner that he had done his homework at every night. His parents' bedroom door was open at the end of the hall off the side of the room.

"She's in the bedroom if you want to go back." Sadie said, giving him an encouraging look.

"You don't have to if you aren't ready," Jay said.

They were complete opposites; that was what he loved most about them. He needed to strengthen his resolve before he went back there. He was already regretting telling Bella that he wanted to come by himself.

"Where is your wife?" Sadie asked.

"Bella is working."

"Bella, what a pretty name," she said with a wistful smile.

"Maybe next time," Tom said.

"It's good to see you Paul. It's not even your birthday," Jay joked.

Paul smiled, glad that his uncle was there to break the ice. He'd made it half way down the hall when his mom started to cough. It sounded like she was hacking up a lung. Then again, she did have throat cancer, so technically she was hacking up her lungs. He stopped a few feet from the door, debating on if he should go in.

"Paul?" His mother asked.

He stood at the door taking her in. She was propped up by at least five pillows. She was as thin as he had ever seen her. Her face was gaunt, he could see the bones of her cheeks and her eyes which now had circles as dark as night underneath them had lost their luster.

"Come in, let me look at you," she said lifting an arm to wave him in.

Paul sat in the rocker by the window. There was at least ten feet of space between them, but he didn't feel like that was a safe distance. He shouldn't hold a grudge against her, she couldn't hurt him anymore. She probably couldn't even get out of bed without help.

"You've grown," she said quietly.

"You've missed out on a lot more than that," he said, not able to look like her.

"You've joined the new pack?"'

His head shot up, looking at her wildly before recovering seconds later.

"I guess I should have told you that Pop was a member of Ephraim Black's pack."

Her grandfather Emanuel had been a former pack member?

"Isn't the gene passed down from father to son?"

"You were the first male born into the family since him."

"How can you tell?" he asked credulously.

"I may be sick but I am not deaf or blind. Sam has been coming by here to help out since your dad came back. He didn't tell me that you had joined though. I had hoped that it wouldn't happen. You don't need added stress; I put too much on you as a kid."

"Is that your way of apologizing?" he asked bitterly.

"I regret treating you the way that I did. I told myself that I wouldn't turn into the monster that your Grandpa Miller was. I let things get out of control; you were just acting out because you wanted my attention. You probably won't be able to forgive me, but I am sorry."

"Then why have you avoided me for the past four years?" he asked pointedly.

"I was ashamed. I didn't think that you would want to see me. I haven't had a drink in over a year," she answered quietly.

"I told myself that I would never let myself turn out the way you did. I may not drink, but I couldn't escape inheriting your temper," he said with a harsh sigh.

"I'm sorry," she said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Me too, unlike you, I am doing something about it. Being a part of the pack has changed me. Then I met my wife, and I now feel like I'm finally whole."

"You're married?"

"We got married a couple of weeks ago."

"How long have the two of you been together?"

"Five months."

"Your dad and I only knew each other for a few weeks before we got married," she said with a sad smile.

"I know."

"Are you happy?"

"As happy as I can be," he said with a shrug.

"You don't hate me?"

"I did up until yesterday. I can't be mad at you now," he said with a shake of his head.

"I wish that your Dad had had a chance to make amends before your Grandfather died."

"Was he really that bad?"

"I was exactly like him," she confirmed.

"Why did you let it happen?"

"I was angry and bitter; I was left to care for you for months on end by myself. I was crying out for attention in my own way. It all happened so fast and I wasn't able to stop it."

He nodded accepting the answer that she had given him. He had always wondered what had driven his mother to spiral out of control. He had never thought that his dad's being away was the cause of it.

"I'm glad that you came. I'm just sad that it has to be on these terms."

"Yeah, me too," he said with a sigh.

"You aren't going to hug me, are you?"

"What are you, crazy?" he asked giving her a credulous look.

She had never hugged him before, why would she start now?

"You are my son," she said with a light laugh.

"The only person I have ever hugged willingly is Bella."

"Bella is your wife?"

"Yes."

"Is she good to you?" she questioned.

"She's the best thing that has ever happened to me," he answered with a crooked smile.

"Good, you deserve to be happy."

His dad stood just outside the door listening to their conversation. He had never known that Marisol had felt the way she had about his being gone so much, but he should have. Things would have turned out completely different if they had tried a little harder to be a normal family. None of that could be undone now, he was just glad that they were working to bring themselves back together. They had been apart for far too long.

XXXX

Paul sat on the porch with Bo at his side watching the sun go down. The sky was a prism of purple, yellow, blue, and pink. He loved ending his day like this; he liked it even more when Bella was with him. She wouldn't be home for another half an hour. The sun disappeared behind the trees, not to be seen again until morning.

Paul stood and Bo followed him into the house. He stood at the refrigerator with the freezer door open, looking for something to take out for dinner. He couldn't cook to save his life; he had lived off of ramen noodles, scrambled eggs, fried chicken and steak growing up because neither of his parents could cook either. He left the cooking to Bella, but he did take the time to get something out to thaw.

He was in the bedroom when the front door opened. Bo's nails could be heard clicking across the floor slowly and he shook his head with a smile. He couldn't even get off of the bed before the dog had gotten all of her attention.

Bella came into the bedroom and he watched her as she toed off her shoes and changed out of her clothes. She pulled on a pair of short pajama shorts and a cami before sliding into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist with a sigh. She threaded her fingers through his hair after placing her head on his shoulder.

"I never want to turn out like my parents," he said quietly.

"I don't think anyone sets out to be like their parents."

"My parents are just now getting it right and it's too late."

"Do you think your mom is going to die soon?"

"I know she is. My dad is doing everything he can for her, but he should have done something a long time ago."

"Like when it started," she offered.

"Someone had to pay the bills. My mom refused to work and I wasn't old enough."

"I can see where you're coming from since you put it that way," she said with a nod.

"Not everyone was brought up the way you were brought up," he said evenly.

"I didn't say that."

"I know you didn't, I was just stating a fact," he said with a shrug.

"My life wasn't perfect. My mom would rather be my best friend than my parent. She never gave me rules or set boundaries for me. She told me when I was fourteen that she was okay with me having boys in my room and I could feel free to shut the door because she trusted me," she said using air quotes around the last two words.

"What about Charlie?"

"My Dad was there for me when he could be. He came down during the summer and at Christmas and I talked to him once a week. I'm like him in a lot of ways. I took care of my mom from the time I was twelve until she got married when I was sixteen. I made sure that the house was clean and that the laundry was done. I cooked dinner because if I didn't, we wouldn't have anything to eat. My grandmother lived with my Dad up until last year. She lives in a nursing home in town and my Dad and I go to see her on the weekends."

"Our lives weren't that different after all," he mumbled.

"Your dad didn't give you rules?"

"No. He let me do whatever I wanted, he felt that my mom had done enough damage and he didn't want me to go through what he had gone through with his dad."

"Was it weird going over there?"

"At first it was. The house has changed, and my dad has let the maintenance fall behind. I'm going to go over this week and fix the porch, paint the front door, and put grass seed down in the yard."

"Those are the kinds of things that a son should do for their parents," she agreed.

"Those are the kinds of things that Sam and Jake do," he said quietly.

"You're the one who said that not everyone had the life you did growing up."

"I know it's just that when I was growing up I wanted to be a part of Sam's family so bad. Now I find out that he has been in contact with my parents since I left."

"What?" she asked in shock.

"What else has he kept from me?"

"I'm so sorry," she said rubbing his back gently.

"My Great Granddad on my mom's side was a part of Jake's Great Granddad's pack."

"Really?" she asked in intrigue.

Paul nodded his head slowly, his mind still replaying what had happened that day. Did he really want his parents to meet Bella? He had been thinking about that a lot since his dad had brought it up just before he left. It wasn't that he didn't want her to be a part of that part of his life; he was more worried about his parents thinking that he was keeping her from them because he was ashamed of them.

"Do you want to come with me when I go over there?"

"Sure," she said before kissing his neck lightly.

"I think that we should stay in bed tonight," he said huskily.

"I think you're right," she agreed.

He lay down on the bed, pulling her with him and she lay over top of him with her hair creating a curtain over them. He brushed her hair over one shoulder silently, not breaking eye contact with her. This was the way that he wanted to spend his time with her, just the two of them. He could literally feel all the stress from the day melt away. She had a calming effect on him that no one else ever could.

He pulled her to him, letting all of her weight fall on him. His hands slid beneath the hem of her cami, pushing it up. His fingers brushed her skin gently, setting every place he touched on fire. She lifted her arms so that he could pull the thin material over her head before threading her fingers into his hair once more.

She leaned up on her elbows before reaching between them. Her hand slid down his stomach and into his basketball shorts without missing a beat. His hand blazed a trail down her side, pushing down her shorts, he growled impatiently when he realized that she was wearing underwear.

"Can't you make it easy for me, just once?" he said with a sigh.

"You might be comfortable going commando, but I'm not," she countered.

He pushed down the underwear, giving her an even look. She reached behind her to undo her bra one handed, and he gave her an agonized look when she pulled her hand away from his erection. To make up for the lack of contact she grabbed a condom from the nightstand. She tore it open with her teeth quickly before rolling it down his shaft.

She straddled him and he was inside her within seconds. He groaned in satisfaction as she set a slow pace. He would take his time, savor everything, please her, and let her know how much he appreciated her. There wasn't any reason that he shouldn't get something out of it too.

Her hair was still over one shoulder when she leaned down to brush her lips to his. His fingers slid into her hair again to keep her where she was. He loved the feel of her hair between his fingers. It was soft, like silk in his hands.

She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth, lightly sucking on it. His fingers pulled at her hair gently, letting her know that he enjoyed what she was doing. She nipped at his lip playfully, getting a sharp intake of breath from him in return. She opened her mouth for him and his tongue passed her lips forcefully. Their tongues dueled in a fight for dominance as she slowly moved up and down his shaft.

His hands left her hair to travel down her back. He stopped at the small of her back, urging her to go faster. She sighed with pleasure when he completely filled her. She pulled away from him and he gave her a look that let her know what he wanted. She lifted herself off of him to lean over the bed and he came to kneel behind her. He slid inside of her easily, continuing the pace from before. He placed his weight on one arm before reaching around her to caress her breast.

His fingers tweaked her nipples roughly, making her gasp. He liked that she could keep up with him with very little trouble. She knew exactly what he wanted without him having to say a word. She gave as much she took, she was comfortable letting him take control. His hands left her breast to glide over her taught stomach. She moved with him, never breaking stride. He hadn't known what he was missing before her because he hadn't needed anyone the way that he needed her. Now that he had her, he was never going to let her get away from him.

His arm snaked around her waist pulling her flush to him. She turned her head to kiss the corner of his mouth. He brushed her hair away from the back of her neck to kiss in between her shoulder blades. His fingers glided down her spine, chill bumps forming wherever he touched. Her back arched and her head came to rest in the hollow of his neck.

That gave him the opportunity to kiss along her jaw line and neck. Her breath quickened with every kiss he placed. He pulled out of her and she turned around before lying back against the pillows. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. He was inside of her again within seconds. They found it hard to stay in one position while they made love, they usually changed positions at least three times during intercourse; it kept things interesting.

Their sweat slicked bodies moved together, causing an electrical charge to course through him. Every time with her was different; he learned something different about her every time they made love. Like now, her face was calm and serine, but he knew that once she was close her eyes would close and her lips would pull at the corners to form a pleasured smile. It was the most beautiful look she could ever give him.

He could feel his climax fast approaching, so he sped up his movements. Bella was able to meet his new pace after a few seconds and soon his breath was knocked out of him and he came with a grunt as his seed spilled into the condom. She sighed contently as her arms relaxed around his neck. Her eyes closed and the smile that he loved so much pulled at her lips. Her eyes fluttered open as he ran his fingers through her hair. His fingers left her hair to caress her jaw line then chin. She leaned into the touch once his thumb brushed over her bottom lip.

He pulled out of her then pulled off the condom and chucked it at the trashcan on the other side of the nightstand. He heard it hit the floor before rolling off of her, he would get it later. She turned over on her side, propping her head up with a hand. He lay on his back staring up at her. Everything about her was perfect and he made sure to tell her that in some way shape or form every day. He would never take advantage of her love for him.

He had never considered himself the sentimental type until her. Once he had met her everything had changed. He was not the same person he had been six months ago. Gone was the guy who was quick to start a fight with someone just because they were staring at him. He couldn't remember the last time he had threatened anyone other than Jacob. He was going soft and he wouldn't change it for a minute.


	19. The Blame Game

**Disclaimer:**

**Paul: Donna does not own Twilight.**

**Me: Sad, but true.**

**P: But I love her anyway because she hasn't turned me into a pansy.**

**M: That qualifies as a compliment, ya softie.**

**AN: ****I hope that all of you had a wonderful, safe and happy Thanksgiving. The next few weeks leading up to Christmas will be busy for me so don't be surprised if I'm not able to update every week.**

On the day that Paul and Bella were supposed to go to his parents Paul woke up with a sense of dread. Bella slept peacefully next to him and he took a few moments to watch her before deciding to face the day. He let Bo out then started a pot of coffee before getting in the shower.

By the time he got out of the shower the coffee was done and Bo was basking in the sunshine on the front porch. He made a cup of coffee before taking it into the bedroom and placing it on Bella's nightstand. He ran his fingers through her hair slowly to coax her awake. She stirred with a deep sigh before rolling onto her back. She stared up at him through bleary eyes giving him a sleepy smile.

"I made you a cup of coffee. I need to go see Sam for a little while, when I get back we'll go see my parents."

"'Kay," she said her voice still laced with sleep.

He dressed then headed to Sam's on foot. It would give him a few extra minutes to think of what he would say so that he wouldn't fly off the handle. What in the hell had Sam been thinking when he decided to go see his parents without telling him? Sam had hated his mom just as much as he did growing up. He knew that Paul wouldn't have wanted him to and yet he did it anyway.

Sam and Emily were weeding their garden when Paul made his way around back. He cast a shadow over Sam, his arms crossed behind his back. Sam looked over his shoulder and he knew instantly that Paul knew the truth.

"I'll finish my half later. Paul and I need to talk," he said as he stood.

"It's going to rain later, so don't wait too late," Emily answered, not looking from what she was doing.

Paul led the way back around the house and they sat on the porch. He was silent, giving Sam a chance to explain himself before he jumped in. After a few minutes he got restless and sighed.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"I didn't want you to go over there until you were ready."

"Well I wasn't, but I went anyway. How could you go over there without telling me?"

"Your dad needed help; that was the only reason that I went over there. I had no intention of having anything to do with her. She sought me out."

"You still could have told me. What else have you been keeping from me?"

"Nothing, I swear. Look, if it makes you feel any better I won't keep anything from you again."

"Don't patronize me Uley," Paul warned.

"I'm on your side, okay? I won't go over there again."

"That's all I'm asking for."

"Have you told them about Bella?"

"They already knew. Quil Sr. told my dad not long after we got married. Apparently no one can keep anything that has to do with me from my parents," he said darkly.

"Your dad has always worried about you. That didn't stop just because you left home."

"I was thrown out on my ass, get it right."

"Whatever. You can't hold their past actions over their heads."

"I'm trying not to," he muttered.

"It's not going to happen overnight, but things will get better. I could see that she's trying to change. Marisol is going through a lot. Even you aren't heartless enough not to cut her some slack."

"I'm just worried about what Bella will think of them."

"I was worried about bringing Emily home to meet my mom for the first time too. She was so disappointed when Leah and I broke up. She was on the verge of giving Leah the china pattern that my grandmother had given her when she married my dad," Sam said with a shake of his head.

"I didn't know that."

"Neither does Emily, so don't tell her."

Paul nodded, letting the conversation sink in. He would never understand the things Sam did sometimes. He had changed so much since joining the pack. He'd had to do a lot of maturing in the year before Paul joined. He'd kept to himself making Paul think that he was depressed about what had happened with Leah. Now that Paul knew the real reason he had more of an insight into Sam's mindset.

XXXX

Jacob woke up to a slender pair of arms wrapped securely around his waist. He stretched with a groan and Leah tightened her grip on him even more.

"Has anyone ever told you that your eyelashes are so long that when you close your eyes they reach your cheeks?" she asked, bemused.

"No," he said, blushing in embarrassment.

"It's very sexy," she affirmed.

"Yeah?" he asked with a lopsided grin.

"Oh yeah," she said with a nod.

He brushed her hair out of her eyes taking in the silence. There wasn't even the scrape of his dad's chair or his deep snoring, making him wonder where he was. He pushed the thought aside before leaning in. Her lips were warm and soft against his, molding any way he wanted them to. It wasn't very often that she let him take control.

One of his hands rested on her hip which gave her more room. Leah scooted closer to him moving one of her hands up his back to let her fingers tangle in his hair. His tongue slipped past her lips and her moaned was cut off instantly.

He pushed her tank top straps down her shoulders with his free hand. His fingers brushed the crest of her breasts making her breath hitch. She pulled away with a groan after a few seconds.

"Easy. He may not be making any noise, but Seth is in the front yard."

"Please do not do that where I can hear you again or I just might hurl. Ugh," he said with a shudder.

"Why didn't you warn me before you started with the pillow talk?"

"I like making him squirm," she said with an innocent shrug.

"Sorry, Seth," Jacob said with a chuckle.

Jacob rolled over and out of bed and Leah watched him get dressed. He was the most unashamed person she had ever met. He was comfortable sleeping naked but yet he'd had qualms phasing back to human form in front of her for nearly a month after she joined the pack. Now he was proud to show himself off to her and she appreciated the free look at his butt as he pulled on a pair of boxers.

She sat up in bed letting the sheet fall from her. Her flimsy tank top straps were falling down her arms and her breast were still exposed when he turned around. He came back to lean over her, caressing her arms before pushing the straps back up and resituating the top over her breast reluctantly.

"Someday soon you're going to undress me instead of dressing me," she said, her voice still thick with lust.

"I'm still out here," Seth muttered.

Jacob smirked before brushing her hair over her shoulder. He kissed her forehead then stood and walked from the room. She heard him open the front door and invite Seth in for breakfast before they traded shifts. She sighed heavily before pushing herself off the bed. This was one of those times when she wished that she didn't have a little brother who tended to be a buzz kill.

XXXX

Sam was sitting on the stairs when Leah and Seth walked through their yard after leaving Jacob's. Seth passed him, nodding tiredly when Sam greeted him. Leah sat on the top step next to Sam silently wondering what he had to say.

"What's going on?" she prodded.

"Do you ever wonder if Sean will one day phase?"

"I had nightmares about him finding one of us in the woods and somehow killing us for over a month," she said with a shudder.

"What about now?"

"My mom sat me down and explained to me that there wasn't any way that we could have passed on the gene to him because we aren't each other's imprint. I've been meaning to talk to you about it."

"Now that you've explained that to me it does put my mind at ease. I've been having dreams of someone who looks exactly like Seth the way he does now showing up on my doorstep demanding that I explain 'what the hell is going on'," he said using air quotes.

"I'm sorry for keeping him from you for so long. I can't imagine how much you must distrust me now," she said, her voice laced with shame.

"I don't distrust you, Leah. I questioned your character for a minute or two before explained your reason behind keeping him from me."

"That's even worse," she said with a feeble laugh.

"I trust you. That's never going to change," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

He patted her shoulder lightly before standing. She watched him leave before going inside. Seth was already asleep when she passed his door on the way to her room. She fell asleep almost instantly. The weight on her shoulders had been lifted and she was relieved that she had been able to ease Sam's fears.

XXXX

The drive to Paul's parent's house was filled with little conversation. Bella could feel the stress rolling off of Paul and she knew not to mess with him when he was like this. They pulled up into the yard and his uncles were already working on fixing the banister and repainting the door.

"I had planned on fixing that today," Paul said gesturing to the banister.

"Already taken care of," Dave said not looking up from what he was doing.

"We wanted you to have some time with your parents and Sadie," Jay said, starting to apply more paint to the door.

Paul pulled Bella up the stairs, realizing that they had already been fixed. He opened the door with trepidation. He had been hiding this side of his life from Bella since he met her and he wasn't sure how she would react.

Inside Sadie and Tom sat on the couch while Marisol sat in a recliner across the room. She was yet again propped up with pillows and her oxygen tank was resting against the chair. There were tubes running from the tank to her nose which meant that she was doing worse today than she had when Paul had seen her last.

"Don't mind me, I'm just taking my breathing treatment," Marisol explained.

"She's not having a good day today," Sadie said sadly.

"We could come back," Bella said sympathetically.

"No," Marisol said before dissolving into a coughing fit.

"She wouldn't want you to leave on her account, have a seat," Tom said gesturing to the kitchen chairs that had been brought in.

Bella sat closest to Marisol, giving her a polite smile as she sat down.

"He didn't mention that you were beautiful," Tom said, giving his son an even look.

"Can I introduce you to all of her before you start to embarrass me?"

"Go ahead," Sadie urged.

"These are my parents Tom and Marisol and my aunt Sadie, the two outside are my uncle's Jay and Dave. Everybody, this is Bella."

"It's nice to meet all of you," Bella said politely.

"How long have you two been together?" Sadie asked.

"Four months," Bella said, looking at Paul with a smile.

"And how long have you been married?" she questioned.

"Two weeks," Paul said, knowing what was coming next.

"How old are you Bella?"

"I'll be nineteen in September."

"Uh huh," Sadie said in understanding.

"Aww Sadie, leave them alone. You were only a year older than her when you got married and the two of you had only been dating for a month," Tom chided.

Sadie smiled shyly before brushing her hair behind her ear.

"What do your parents do, Bella?" Marisol asked once her breathing treatment was finished.

"My dad is the Chief of Police for Forks and my mom is a preschool teacher who lives in Florida."

"You're Charlie's daughter?" Tom asked.

"You know him?"

"I've run into him with Billy a couple of times over the years."

"They've been best friends since they were kids."

"What kind of work would you like to do?" Sadie asked.

"I was thinking maybe I could go to school to become a social worker or maybe a grief counselor."

"So you do plan on going to school?"

"Sadie, ease up," Paul warned.

"Marrying young is not for everyone. Your uncle and I struggled for years before we finally got it right."

"You don't understand the relationship that Paul and I have and you are not the first person to doubt that we can make things work," Bella pointed out.

"I don't doubt that you are a nice girl, but I want what's best for him just like his parents do."

"We have no problems with them being together. Do we Mar?"

"No. Sadie, leave them alone."

"I'll check on lunch while the four of you talk."

Sadie rose from the couch silently and Tom patted the couch while looking at Bella. Bella took her seat and Tom turned towards her.

"Sorry for the Sadie inquisition. We're all very protective of Paul. He deserves to have someone who will treat him right."

"She doesn't know the legend the tribe," Marisol explained.

"The less people who know the better," Tom said with a nod.

"It's fine."

"I should have warned you," Paul said with a slow shake of his head.

"I understand. Paul had to go through the same thing with my dad and best friend."

"I'm still going through it," he said with a sigh.

"My dad will come around."

"How does your mother feel about the situation?" Marisol asked.

"She didn't know about Paul until after we were married. She was hurt that I didn't tell her, but she understands. She knows that I wouldn't be with someone if I didn't believe that we could make it work."

Tom nodded before reaching under the coffee table in front of them.

"Oh no," Paul said with a groan.

"Do you want to see what he looks like with a lip and earrings?" Tom asked with a sneaky smile.

"No, she doesn't," Paul answered quickly.

"Sure, I do."

"Don't encourage him," Paul said, groaning again.

"My mom will probably do the same thing when you meet her. Let me have a few laughs at your expense," she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Paul gestured for his dad to go ahead with a sigh. He opened the book and a smiling baby version of Paul stared back at them.

"What a cutie," Bella said with a smile.

"Just know that pay back is hell," Paul said flatly.

"We had that done for his first Christmas," Tom said proudly.

"Show her the one after he got his tongue ring," Marisol offered.

"She doesn't want to see that," Paul said with a roll of his eyes.

"You're gonna love this," Tom said, flipping through the book.

She stared at a picture of Paul in his mid-teens. Jay was holding his tongue out while Paul gave the camera a dark look. His tongue was swollen to twice its size and he looked miserable.

"Jay warned him what would happen if he got another piercing. He learned his lesson after that," Tom said with a laugh.

"I had just gotten it two hours before."

"You screamed like a little girl," Sadie said from the kitchen with a laugh.

"It hurt!" Paul said in defense.

"Did they close after you phased?" Bella asked after Sadie went outside to tell the guys that lunch was ready.

Paul nodded; glad that she was taking everything in stride. She was the first girl that he had brought home or even mentioned being interested in to his parents and they were welcoming her with open arms. He had been nervous about what their reactions would be to her. His granddad hadn't agreed with his parents marrying because his mom was Native American and his dad was Welsh. Everyone on the reservation had welcomed his dad and aunt and uncle when they lived there and he himself hadn't been treated differently just because he was mixed. His parent's acceptance of others had always been something that made him proud.


	20. The Art of Give and Take

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

AN: I can't believe that it's been two months since I updated this. I am so sorry, please don't hurt me!

Warning: This chapter contains Lemon.

Jacob turned in bed with a grunt wondering when the heat wave would let up. He couldn't take one more night of tossing and turning in the sweltering heat. Luckily he didn't need to help Charlie move today. He was on patrol with Leah while the rest of the pack was helping with the move. There hadn't been too much trouble since the battle so usually he had a pretty easy, lazy day when he had patrol. Leah being on patrol with him made it even better. They could find a way to beat the heat with no problem.

The house was silent letting him know that his dad had left for the day and that Rachel was already at work. He would bet ten bucks that Leah was home alone too. He pulled on a pair of swim trunks and headed towards the Clearwater's.

Sue's car wasn't anywhere in sight as he sloshed through the flooded front yard. He let himself in hearing noise coming from the back of the house. The shower was running so he let himself into the bathroom and hopped onto the counter to wait for her to be down. He could see her silhouette through the curtain and he fought the urge to climb into the shower with her as a tent grew in his shorts. He gripped the counter hard enough to break the porcelain with visions of a wet, naked Leah dancing in his head.

Leah turned the shower off a few minutes later but by then the damage had been done. Jacob was so hard that it was almost painful and he knew that she would notice it as soon as she saw him. She reached for the towel that was hung up just outside the shower before pulling back the curtain. Her head was down as she stepped out of the shower and nearly walked into Jacob. Her head shot up in surprise, her eyes wide in shock. A hand flew to her chest as a gasp caught in her throat.

"How long have you been here?" she asked once she had found her voice.

"Long enough for you to torture me," he said with a sigh, looking down at his lap.

Her eyes traveled down and she smirked before stepping away from him. She motioned for him to follow her and they walked across the hall to her room. She pushed him onto the bed before dropping the towel.

"I think it's time that I schooled you in the art of pleasing a woman. Lucky for you, we've got all day," she said, her voice laced with lust.

She pushed him back on the bed then leaned over him but didn't climb onto the bed.

"First things first, you are to do whatever I say. Secondly, there's no talking, at least not this time. Your damn dirty talk would be the end of me," she said huskily.

He nodded quickly; he would give her whatever she wanted. If she wanted him to keep his mouth shut he didn't think that was too much to ask. She reached for one of his hands placing it on her breast.

"There's a certain way to handle a girls breast. Groping and fondling them is not it. Cupping them is preferred and if you use your nails it's even better," she explained.

Jacob felt the weight of her breast in his hand for a few seconds taking in what she said before running his thumb over her nipple. She sighed with pleasure and he smiled, thrilled that he had made that sound happen. He moved to the other breast before leaning up kiss them. His tongue moved over the areola slowly before sucking the nipple into his mouth. She groaned before threading her fingers in his hair. She placed her forehead to his relishing in the pleasure. She hadn't expected him to be this good.

"Just how big of a porn collection do you have?" she murmured.

"I don't, Quil does. But I have been known to borrow a movie every once in a while."

"Jesus Christ," she moaned before reluctantly pulling away.

She pushed her hair out of her face with a sigh before straddling him. She placed her hands on his stomach as she caught her breath.

"Now, there are a few places that when you touch a girl she will not be able to tell you no, no matter what you ask her to do," she said seriously.

She placed his hand on her inner thigh and ran it slowly up her leg. She stopped inches from her folds.

"You place your hands here and you can get me to do whatever you want. Also if you caress the small of my back I would rob a bank for you if you asked me to."

Jacob laughed with a shake of his head. He wound his arm around her placing his hand at the small of her back like she suggested. His fingers skimmed over her skin and she closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Okay. Now, move your hand that's on my thigh up to my folds. Don't slip a finger in directly, make me want it," she explained.

He cupped her, his thumb brushing against her sex as she moved against him. He could the heat from her envelope his hand and it made him want to attack her with abandon, but he held it in. He slipped a finger into her folds then let it slip out when she pulled away from him. He curled a finger slipping it farther in when she got close enough. Leah looked down at him, worrying her lip as pleasure swept over her. She ground herself against his hand and still he wouldn't put in a finger.

He figured he had teased her enough and moved with her the next time she pulled away from him. She moaned in pleasure as his finger slid through her easily. They did this for another minute before he added a second finger and his thumb resumed rubbing her sex.

"Oh God, stop," she moaned.

He pulled his hand away, giving her a confused look. She made her way down his body hovering over his erection; her hair falling in a curtain over one shoulder.

"It wouldn't be fair if I didn't give you some attention too," she said before leaning down.

She took him into her mouth, not able to take him in completely. She hadn't counted on him being this big. She started slowly, her tongue swirling around his erection. She only had half of him in her mouth when she felt that she couldn't take anymore of him in. She bobbed up and down as quickly as she could without gagging. He fisted his hands in her hair, pulling gently and his panting broke the silence hanging over them. At least she knew that he was enjoying it. After a few minutes he started pulling at her shoulders.

"Ease up, I don't want it to be over yet," he pleaded breathlessly.

She ignored him as she added her hands to the mix. She may not be able to take him completely into her mouth but she could do two things at once. He growled deep in his throat and she could feel that he was close. She let him fall from her mouth but kept her hands on him.

"Come on Lee," he pleaded once more.

She quickened her pace and his breathing became labored and his mouth grew slack. He came a few seconds later with a groan before falling back against the pillows. She grabbed her towel from the floor and cleaned them up before leaning over him.

"We're going to get something to eat and then we'll start the second part of our lesson," she said with a smirk.

"Does that involve getting dressed?" he questioned.

"No, it does not," she said before pulling away from him.

He followed her to the kitchen where she grabbed enough food to feed an army from the pantry before leaning into the refrigerator.

"What do you want to drink?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at him.

He hadn't heard her; he was staring at her ass which was sticking out just asking him to grab it. She smiled; glad that he couldn't see the blush that was creeping up the back of her neck to her ears. She grabbed an arm full of sodas before shutting the door with her foot. Jacob took some of the drinks from her, his fingers grazing her breast in the process. At the table they talked about what they would do for the rest of the day. Her mom wasn't due home until late tonight since she and Charlie were going out to dinner after helping him move in and Seth was staying at Colin's for the night.

Half an hour later they had moved to the living room. He lay on the couch with her lying on top of him, but that was as far as things had gone. She pushed herself up to rest her weight on an arm while looking down at him.

"I think it's time I put you to work again grasshopper," she said with finality.

"If you never call me that again I would die happy," he said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"I figured you could take the reins since this part of our lesson is more trial and error. Not every guy does what I want you do the same way, the trick is finding a way that works for your partner," she said vaguely.

She got off of him and pulled him off the couch before sitting on the back of the couch with her legs spread, her arms draped across the back of the couch, giving him a bold look.

"Okay, I'm up for the challenge," he said sounding sure of himself.

He sat on the couch in front of her on his knees before wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her balanced. He took a few steady breaths before leaning in. He had expected her to give him some kind of speech about what she wanted before they worked up to this. What if she didn't like what he was doing?

He started by sliding two fingers into her folds, figuring that would buy him a minute or two so that he could decide on a plan of action. He had seen guys and girls start like this so he figured it couldn't hurt. He leaned in to take a slow swipe at her folds, worried that she would stop him.

"That was good, but you need to be more assertive. Pretend that it's the last meal that you'll ever eat," she encouraged.

He took her advice and went with it. He dove in, his tongue swirling around her pleasure spot before moving his fingers to her clit. He pushed three fingers inside, pushing them in and out steadily.

"Oh yeah," she said chocking back a gasp.

He smiled around her, finally finding a rhythm that worked. He was cautious about using his teeth since he didn't know what kind of reaction he would get. His tongue slid across her folds, feeling her pleasure pulsate against his tongue. She fisted her hands in his hair, her breath catching with every swipe he made.

"Back off," she warned pulling at his shoulders.

He pulled away to look up at her. Had he done something wrong? She was griping the back of the couch and her eyes were closed and her mouth had formed a perfect O. He stilled his fingers and her eyes snapped open.

"Put them back in. I didn't want to come all over your face your first time," she demanded.

He arched an eyebrow before slipping three fingers back in. He pushed in and out of her mercilessly before feeling her walls clamp around him.

"Shit," she gasped in wonder.

"So that's what you want?"

"Hell yes; that was perfect. I'm gonna need a few minutes to recuperate."

"I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?"

"There's some Gatorade in freezer."

"Isn't that Seth's?"

"I don't give a shit; it's hot as hell in here. We're drinking it," she said pointedly.

He came back in with the drink and two spoons. It might as well have been a slushie but it served its purpose. Leah sat on the table before leaning against him. She wrapped her arms around him glad to have him to herself for a change. She couldn't remember the last time they'd had more than an hour alone together in over a month. Quil and Embry were always around and Seth followed them around like a cock block. She had been to the point of dragging him back to her room and locking everyone else out a few nights ago. She was glad that she hadn't now.

"Are you ready for round three?"

"I am perfectly content to just sit here with you," she said with a sigh.

"I've got something else in mind. Lie back," he said, pushing her away from him.

She lay on the couch watching him with questioning eyes.

"You're right; it is hot in here, but I can fix that," he said reaching for the Gatorade bottle.

He scraped out a chunk of Gatorade with the spoon before upending the bottle to let the substance fall into his hand. It started melting instantly, running through his fingers and down Leah's stomach. It collected in her bellybutton and he dragged his tongue down her torso before dipping his tongue into her.

"You smart, Mother-" she cut herself off with a growl.

"Yes, I am," he said once he was finished, knowing what she had meant to say.

"Oh, you're good. Give me that bottle," she demanded.

"You forgot to say please," he said with a teasing shake of his head.

"Give me the bottle, now," she said pointedly.

He handed over the bottle then she pushed him back onto the couch. She took a swig before setting the bottle on the floor. She leaned over him with the drink still in her mouth. She leaned over him, finally swallowing before taking him into her mouth. Her mouth was still frigid cold and he reacted just the way she was hoping. He bit back a growl before dipping his fingers into the bottle. He pulled himself out of her mouth, shoving his cold fingers into her mouth. She sucked on his fingers greedily, swirling her tongue around his fingers slowly.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore. I need to be inside you," he said gruffly.

She let his fingers slip from her mouth as she grinned, letting him know that she agreed with him. They didn't need to worry about wearing a condom because there was no way that she would get pregnant so she situated herself in his lap, guiding him into her. He moaned then hissed as he got used to the feeling of being inside her. He gripped her hips perfectly content to let her set the pace. She was thankful that she wouldn't feel the pain that most women would when being stretched out by someone as large as he was.

She pulled back enough to let him slide out of her then stood. He gave her a curious look and she rolled her eyes, holding out a hand for him. He took her hand and she pulled him from the couch.

"No more fooling around, it's time to make a man out of you," she said, giving him a sultry look.

She wrapped her arms around his neck before hiking a leg up to wrap it around his waist. He took her other leg and placed around his other side as she guided him inside of her once more.

"It's a good thing you can hold both of us up. Up against the wall," she ordered.

"Yes Ma'am," he said with a nod.

He carried her around the couch then pushed up against the wall forcefully. She moved up and down his erection with ease and he put a hand on the wall to balance them. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she moaned. He pushed in and out of her roughly, not caring that he could possibly hurt her. After a few minutes he set her down and she gave him an agitated look. He jerked his head towards the couch and she moved around him, not knowing what else to do. He flung her over the back of the couch with her back to him and entered her roughly making her yell in surprise.

"Are you sure this is your first time?" she moaned.

"Positive," he grunted.

He pushed her hair out of the way so that he could kiss her neck, shoulders and back. Her breathing became erratic when he snaked a hand down her stomach to slip his fingers into her folds. He grunted as pleasure coursed through him, he was almost there but not quite yet. His fingers kept pace with his member as they slid in and out. Leah turned her head to meet his mouth, kissing him greedily.

His other hand cupped her breast twisting her nipple making her bite back a growl of pleasure.

"Damn you, I'm not going to last much longer if you keep this up," she said darkly.

"That means I'm doing it right, right?"

She bit back a laugh and pulled him out of her at the same time. She hopped onto the back of the couch spreading her legs in invitation.

"Do you think your mom would be pissed if we broke her couch?"

"Probably, but it would be worth it," she said with a shrug.

He smiled before stepping between her legs. She wrapped them around her to keep him from getting away from her and he resumed his pace. She sighed in contentment as she ground her hips against his. He moaned deep in his throat before closing his eyes. She brushed her fingers over his forehead to push his sweat slicked hair out of his eyes. Her hand came to rest on his shoulder and he leaned down to brush his lips to hers. She took over, moving up and down him with ease as his tongue pleaded for entrance. She opened her mouth before threading her fingers in his hair. He took over once more feeling his insides tightening against his will. He pumped into a few more times before spilling his seed inside of her. She broke the kiss to bury her face in his neck. Her climax hit her like a tidal wave and she her breath hitched as pleasure coursed through her all the way to her toes. She had forgotten how good release could fell. She pulled away to look him in the eye.

"You alright, Cowboy?"

"Fanfuckingtastic," he said with throaty laugh.

"Good to know," she said with a laugh of her own.

"I'm going to want to do that every time I see you for the rest of my life, just F.Y.I.,"

"Dually noted."

She looked at the clock on the wall behind him and realized that it was almost one. They had been fooling around for nearly two hours. It wasn't the longest time that she'd taken to have intercourse but she didn't hold it against him since it was his first time. She and Sam had only lasted half an hour their first time from start to finish. It helped that they both had the endurance of a marathon runner.

His stomach rumbled causing her to push him away. She went back to her room and grabbed his shirt and pulled it on as she came back down the hall. He came into the kitchen in his boxers as she cheese to the eggs that she was planning to scramble. He kissed the back of her neck and she smiled. She never would have imagined that the two of them would have ended up together if they hadn't been forced together. He made her laugh and reminded her not to take life so seriously. She was his voice of reason when Paul got on his nerves or he didn't agree with something that Sam had said. They balanced each other out and were happy to have the other in their lives.

AN2: Are you guys still reading or did you go into a sensory overload coma like I did when writing this chapter?


	21. Decisions and Revelations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but I do own the idea for this story, so please don't use it without my permission. Also, I don't know if going to school online is cheaper than going to a community college. I based my opinion on my time spent going to school through the mail almost ten years ago. I did have to pay for the material that I needed all at once. It was expensive and I now wish that I had finished, so maybe one day I will go back, when I have more time.**

It had been almost two months since Bella had seen or heard from the Cullen's. She knew that they had backed off for her protection but she hadn't expected them to drop off the face of the earth. She dialed Alice's phone number, hoping that it hadn't been changed. It hadn't had a chance to ring one full time before Alice picked up.

"Bella? What a surprise!"

"How can it be a surprise if you knew I was going to call?" Bella asked with a scoff.

"I was able to see you calling me, which means that Paul isn't there," she explained.

"So you know my reason for calling."

She had really wanted to talk to Edward, but he'd had his number changed.

"Edward is pretty much unreachable right now," Alice explained sheepishly.

"That's okay, I'll just try Carlisle then," she said with a sigh.

"He's right here if you want to talk to him."

"Bella?" Carlisle asked half a second later.

"I have a few questions. I've been doing some research about colleges online and I'm still not sure if I want to go to school online or a community college."

"Well, they're both good choices. Online schools would let you work at your own pace while community colleges tend to have small classes and more one on one time with an actual teacher if you need it."

"Is one cheaper than the other?"

"Community colleges tend to be more affordable. Most online schools require that you buy all of your learning material at once."

"Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome Bella. For what it's worth I think that you would be the person to get Edward to come back to us."

He gave her Edward's phone number and she talked to Esme for a few minutes before hanging up. She was reluctant to call Edward now. Not even his family had heard from him. How did they expect her to get through to him? She dialed his number then hung up after the first ring. She waited thrity seconds and then let it ring five times before hanging up again. It was a code that they had to let the other know that they were trying to get in touch with them. She stared at her phone willing it to ring for almost a minute before it rang.

"Bella?" Edward asked sounding unsure of himself.

"Yeah, it's me."

"How are you?" he asked pleasently.

"I'm doing alright. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you weren't."

"I need some time by myself," he explained, pained.

"That doesn't sound like the Edward that I know, what's going on?"

"They all wanted to help, but none of them could do what I asked them to do," he said flatly.

"What was that?"

"I asked them to leave me alone and let me grieve in my own way. Esme, Alice, and Rosalie were insistant. They couldn't let it go."

"They were only trying to help," she rationalized.

"I didn't want help; I needed to be alone. Being around them was so depressing and all it did was remind me of what I didn't have."

"Is that your way of trying to make me feel sorry for you?" she asked with a shaky laugh.

"That's the last thing I would want Bella. I didn't say that to offend you, I just thought that you would want me to be honest with you."

"Well thank you for that. Since I've got you on the phone I should tell you that they're all worried about you. You should call them or at least e-mail them every once in a while," she said empathetically.

They talked for a few more minutes before he said that he had to go. She felt that she had gotten though to him. She hoped that he would attempt to mend his relationship with his family.

XXXX

This would be the first time that Paul had gone to see Charlie without Bella. He had planned out what he wanted to say and how he would plead his case. If this didn't work he couldn't say that he hadn't at least tried.

He liked to think that he was a reasonable person to an extent. He was a lot more accepting than he used to be. Hell, the fact that he hadn't tried to kill Jacob should be a testimony to his good character. He must not be so bad if Bella was willing to be with him.

He pulled up to Charlie's townhouse and parked beside his police cruiser. He saw Sue's car a few spots down so he would have at least one person on his side. He knocked then waited to be let in. Charlie answered the door in a t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. It was the most dressed down that Paul had ever seen him. He looked over Paul's shoulder before meeting his eyes once more.

"Who is it Charlie?" Sue called.

"It's Paul," he answered back, giving Paul a skeptical look.

Paul smiled wearily as he rubbed the back of his neck. Charlie continued to stare him down until Sue pushed him out of the way to let Paul in. She gave him a welcoming smile as he shut the door behind him.

"Where's Bella tonight?" she asked after leading the way to the living room.

"She's at home. I figured I'd stop by on my way home from work," Paul said, a little more relaxed.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you?" she asked with a smile.

Paul had always liked Sue. Like Harry, she was a good person who was open to let anyone in who needed her. He saw so much of her in Seth while Leah was more like their dad.

"I wanted to talk to Charlie about a couple of things."

"Alirght; how about I call Bella and the four of us can have dinner together?"

"Yes ma'am, that's fine," Paul said with a nod.

"I'll just go start dinner and let the two of you talk."

Charlie stared at him, his face expresionless. Paul didn't get nervous easily but his palms were starting to sweat under Charlie's steady gaze.

"I wanted to talk to you about how much I love your daughter and I want you to know that I would never hurt her."

"That's something that we should have talked about before you married her," Charlie said evenly.

"I'm aware of that, but I wasn't raised the same way Bella was."

"Why don't you tell me about your family then," Charlie breached.

Paul took a deep breath before launching into the story of his childhood. Charlie's features turned from tense, to worried, to sorrow in the ten minutes it took for Paul to say what he had to say.

"So, as you can see, I have a hard time letting people in," Paul concluded.

"Bella is the only person other than your parents who knows about this?"

"Yes sir," he said with nod.

Charlie placed his hands on his knees with a heavy sigh. His forehead was creased with worry lines and his mouth was turned down as he thought.

"There's something else that I need to tell you. It will help you to understand mine and Bella's relationship."

"It can't be any worse than what you just told me."

"It isn't, it's just hard to believe."

"I'm listening."

Pual dove into the story of the tribe and answered every question that Charlie had, which was a lot. Once he got to the story of the Cullen's Charlie got quiet, his skin ashen, his face fearful. Paul continued and when he got to the part where he met bella he told Charlie the truth.

"No one can never say that Bella isn't stubborn," Charlie said with a slow shake of his head.

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad? You can't turn her into a wolf can you?"

"No, I can't," Paul said with a light laugh.

"Look, I know that no relationship is perfect. It took a lot of nerve for you to come over here and exxplain all of this to me. If Bella sees something good in you than you must not be so bad."

"Paul?" Sue called.

"Yes ma'am?"

"I just talked to bella, she's been trying to get in touch with you for the past twenty minutes."

Paul patted his pants then jacket pockets only to realize that he had left his phone in the truck.

"You'd better go," Charlie said standing.

Charlie walked Paul to the door before extending his hand. Paul shook it briskly before walking out the door. He got a sense of foreboding as he started the truck. Something had happened, but what?

XXXX

Paul hated hospitals. He had hated them ever since Sam's mom had dragged him kicking and screaming when he had broken his arm by 'falling out of a tree' when he was fourteen. The doctor had seen through the story even if Sam and his mom hadn't. No one knew that it had really happened because his mom had slammed the refrigerator door shut on it, not even Bella.

Bella sat in the crowded OR with Jay. They sat side by side but they were focused on what a doctor who stood a few feet away was saying. Paul sat next to Bella and she took his hand but didn't ackowledge him in any other way.

"I don't see how she could have lived this long without medical attention. She's lucky that her lungs and liver haven't exploded and corroded her vital organs," the doctor explained.

"What exactly happened?" Paul questioned.

"She was complaining that she couldn't feel anything on her left side. I thought that she was having a heart attack so I called you and when I couldn't get in touch with you I went over to your house and Bella offered to help," Jay said with a sigh.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She took a few too many of her pain pills which caused her to go numb on one side. I've got her stabelized, but she is demanding to see her husband."

"He's on his way," Bella confirmed.

Tom had been working in Seattle helping a friend open a stall at the fisherman's wharf. He wasn't due back for another week which meant that money would be tighter than it already was. Ever since he'd had to retire and he'd been injured they'd been behind on their bills. Jay and Sadie were helping as much as they could but they didn't want Paul to feel like he had to contribute.

It was time to face the cold hard truth. The more time Tom spent taking care of Marisol the deeper they fell into debt. It was time to either put her in a hospice or hire someone to come in and take care of her. Neither option was what anyone wanted but something had to be done.

Tom came towards them them looking panicked. He sat on the other side of Paul with his hands on his knees. He was breathing irradically, his hair was standing on end from having his hands shoved through it repeatedly. The doctor looked at him sympathetically before walking away.

"What's happening?"

"She took too many pain killers. I hat to physcially pull her out the door and get her in the car," Jay explained.

"Where were you when she took the pills?" Paul asked.

"She had asked me to go and get dinner. Where were you?"

"I was at Bella's dad's," he said quietly.

Bella's eyes darted to his in worry and he gave her a look that let her know that they would talk about it later.

"She needs better care than she's getting," Jay said with a sigh.

"What do you want me to do? I have to work, the bills aren't going to pay themselves," Tom said defensively.

"It's time that you put her in a hospice Tom."

"She'll never let that happen," Paul said with a shake of his head.

"Than she needs someone there twenty four seven. You'll have to hire a nurse."

"I don't have that kind of money."

"We'll work something out," Bella said as she leaned over Paul to put a hand on Tom's arm.

The four of them sat there, oblivious to what was going on around them. There were decisions that needed to be made that none of them wanted to make. They weren't ready for what would happen if they didn't get help.


	22. One Last Hurrah

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. It belongs to the wonderful and talented Stephenie Meyer.**

**Warning: This chapter contains lemons.**

As summer winded down the pack had their last bonfire of summer. Bella, Emily and Sue were in charge of the food which was a big challenge. Bella had never fed the entire pack before. Paul and Jacob weren't picky eaters so she'd never had to worry about if they liked what she cooked. With only a few days until the bonfrire she still didn't know what to make. Paul found her hunched over a stack of cookbooks when he came home from work.

"You know that you don't have to make a big deal out of this. They're easy to please," he said as he sat down next to her.

"I've never cooked for this many people," she said before blowing out a hug tuff of air.

"Then stick to what you know."

"I have to decide what I'm cooking in the next half an hour. Sue, Emily and I are going grocery shoping tonight."

"You have to make two things for dinner and two deserts right?"

"Yeah."

Paul shut the book in front of her and she turned to face him.

"Why not make that Tex Mex chicken pot pie thing that I like?"

"Will the others like that?"

"Babe, they'll eat anything that you bring. Jake and I have told them what a kickass cook you are. Jake would love you forever if you made cauliflower mac n' cheese."

"I could keep the desert really simple and make brownies and buy some ice cream," she thought out loud.

"That sounds like a plan."

"Thank you. You're right, I have nothing to worry about," she said before brushing her lips over his cheek.

She grabbed her keys before slipping into her shoes. She was out the door when she heard Paul tell her that she was welcome. Paul made his way to the bedroom, undressing as he walked. He was adjusting the temperature of the water when his phone rang. He ignored it figuring that it could wait.

After his shower the first thing he did was check his phone. His dad had called him. He sighed before putting the phone to his ear. He was pulling on a pair of boxer briefs when his dad finally answered on the fourth ring.

"Hey, Son," Tom greeted him.

"What's up?"

"I wanted to let you know that your mom was moved into a hospice today."

"I thought that you were going to hire a nurse to stay with her while you worked."

"I talked it over with her doctor and having a nurse stay with her twenty four seven while I work out of town would cost too much. Sadie and Dave are going to help me with the cost of it."

"How did she take it?"

"She went balistic. Two nurses had to hold her down while the doctor gave her a seditive before they could transfer her to the hospice."

"So she's okay now?"

"No, she won't talk to me," he said in dismay.

"Don't worry about it. Bella and I will keep an eye on her while you're out of town."

"That's why I was calling you. Thanks, Son," Tom said gratefully.

"It's not a problem," Paul reassured him as he wrote down the name and address of the hospice.

"How are you and Bella doing?"

"We're good. We've decided to go and see her mom for Thanksgiving."

"You haven't met her mom yet?" Tom asked in concern.

"She lives in Florida and she's a teacher so she has trouble getting away."

"I'd better let you go, your mom is waking up."

Paul sat his phone on the dresser then finished getting dressed. He was glad to have a chance to rebuild his relationship with his parents but hearing somone call him 'son' again was going to take some getting used to.

XXXX

After spending a good part of Saturday cooking Bella was finally ready for everyone to eat the food that she had prepared. She was swearing off of cauliflower and brownies for the time being. If she had to steam another head of cauliflower she would throw it against the wall.

She finished getting ready while Paul loaded the truck. He had cleaned the kitchen spotless so that Bella had one less thing to do. He came back inside as she came out of the bedroom.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded as she pulled her hair into a pony tail. He crossed the room to pull her hair from its elastic before cupping her neck to pull her closer. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, putting all of his need into it. He was stingy with his time with her, he didn't like sharing her attention with others. It was one of the perks of having an imprint. She indulged him by threading her fingers into his hair. His tongue caressed hers gently eliciting a deep moan for his efforts. Bella's cell phone chirped from her pocket making her pull away.

"Don't check to see who it is, we know it's somebody wondering where we are," he said with an eye roll.

"I'm not checking my phone. We're leaving and we can pick up where we left off tonight," she promised before walking out the door.

They were pulling into a space at the parking lot in front of the beach ten minutes later. Sam, Emily, Jared and Kim were already on the beach and the guys were gathering wood to start a fire while the girls kept the food hot on portable grills. Paul went to help Sam and Jared after unloading the truck and Bella got the food on the grills.

"I was starting to think that the two of you were going to be the last to arrive," Sam teased Paul.

"So you're the cock blocker?" Paul asked with a grunt.

"No, that was Emily," he answered with a chuckle.

Paul shook his head, trying to hide a smile. He wouldn't hold it against Emily, she didn't understand things from a wolve's perspective. The pack was going to have to explain things to Emily, Bella and Kim before anyone else decided to butt in. Jacob and Seth joined the group silently lending a hand while Leah helped her mom.

Once the fire was going Sue left because she didn't want to cramp the party. This bonfire was for the pack and their imprints and the elders trusted them to act sensibly. The boys wre playing soccer in the surf and the girls were content to sit back and watch.

"Have you started shool yet Bella?" Kim asked.

"I start on Monday. I had wanted to take a year of and then maybe go to UDub but then I met Paul; I can't ask him to leave. I can take the same classes at the community college and if I decide that I want to get my masters Paul and I will work that out when the time comes."

"What are you going to major in?"

"I want to be a social worker, so I'll need to take a lot of Sociology classes with some pysch classes mixed in."

"It's sounds like you've got you're work cut out for you," Emily observed.

"If I spread my Sociology classes out I should be able to finish in four years."

"What if you get pregnant before then?" Kim asked.

"I'm on birth control right now; we decided that we want to wait a while to have kids. Our parents had us pretty young and we want to make sure that we don't make the mistakes they did," Bella answered honestly.

Bella's eyes met Leah's and they shared a knowing look. Paul didn't want kids until he felt that he was mature and responsible enough to raise them properly. His childhood would haunt him for the rest of hislife but it was also a lesson in how to not raise a child.

Paul came jogging up to them with water dripping from him. He flopped down next to her sending sand and water flying. Emily and Kim protested but Bella and Leah kept quiet because they both knew that Paul could be abrupt and aloof sometimes. Sometimes he did things that he thought were funny to him while others didn't find it funny. He gave them a sheepish look before apologizing.

Bella ran her fingers through his hair to free it of sand as Leah asked what had happened.

"Jared's a sore loser," he said with a shrug.

That was all the explanation they needed. The rest of the guys joined them and Seth asked when they were going to eat.

"Go ahead and eat," Emily said giving him permission.

He came back with a plate piled high with food plus a bowl of chicken pot pie. The smell of food wafted through the group and soon the rest of the pack made their way to the food. Emily, Bella, and Kim waited until everyone else had gotten what they wanted before eating. Most of the food was gone but Bella was able to get a piece of Emily's fried chicken, some of Sue's potato salad and a slice of the blueberry struedelle that Kim had brought. She sat between Emily and Seth and ate quietly until Jared got her attention.

"I'm not a vegetable person, but this mac n' cheese is amazing," he said in between bites.

"Thanks," Bella said with a pleased smile.

Later that night as the fire died down Bella sat with Paul watching the moon's reflection dance on the water as a late tide came in. He sat behind her and she sat between his legs leaning against him. He kissed the side of her neck letting his lips linger there. Sam and Emily were gathering their things but other than that the beach was deserted.

"We're gonna take off," Sam said from a few feet away.

"See you later," Bella answered.

Once they were gone Paul tightened his grip on her. She turned her head to press her lips to his. He held her there plunging his tongue into her mouth making her gasp. She placed her hands on his shoulders to push him back onto the sand. She straddled him not breaking the kiss. His hands made their way up her arms to play with the straps of her cami. He pushed them aside to brush his fingers over her nipples through her bra. She hissed in pleasure as the sensitive buds grew under his touch.

She pulled away to pull the shirt over her head then reached around her to unhook her bra. He cupped her breast feeling the weight of them in his hands while she leaned up to yank his belt from its loops. Not only had he never seen her this eager but this was the first time that she had initiated things. He leaned up so that she could pull his shorts off content to let her take the lead.

"Are you just going to stare at me or do I have to do everything?" she asked breaking his train of thought.

He gave her an even look before sitting up with her in his lap. He pulled his shirt over his head then crushed his lips to hers. He knew that they didn't have long before someone from the pack patroled the beach so he pushed her underware aside and shoved three fingers into her.

"Easy," Bella said with a chuckle.

"If you want this to happen than we need to hurry. It's almost two, someone's going to be coming through here soon."

"You're right," she said with a mournful sigh.

She let him roll them over and he leaned on his elbows to take her in. She was as close to perfect as perfect could get to him. She didn't think she was anything special and she was quick to point out her flaws but he always reassured her that she was imagining things. She looked up at him, quirking her lips into a smile and he leaned down to brush his lips to her forehead. He pushed his boxers down with one hand and she leaned up to shimy out of her underware.

He plunged into her with a gutteral growl of satisfaction. Bella wrapped her legs around his back so that he could enter her easier and he sank into her to the hilt. He started a steady pace, not caring that it would be over soon, he would make up for it during round two when they got home.

Bella panted quickly as she tried to keep up with Paul's pace. She could feel her climax building and she knew that she wouldn't last long. He spilled his seed into her and she followed soon after with a loud gasp.

"We're going home, now," he said pointedly, his voice thick with lust.

They dressed quickly and Paul prayed that they could make it home before he tore her clothes off of her. At the house he shoved her against the front door and she gasped in surprise. He looked her directly in the eye giving her a lustful look as he unbuttoned her shorts and slipped them and her underware down her legs. She kicked off her shoes as Paul bunched her shirt in his hands. He shoved it up to expose her torso before kneeling down. He placed a few kisses on her stomach before making his way down to her thighs.

His fingers stroked her folds gently, driving her crazy with want. She moved against his hand, silently begging him to hurry things along. His going slow was the sweetest torture she had ever experienced. She resigned her efforts knowing that it wouldn't do any good. Once Paul put his mind to something nothing could stop him from getting what he wanted. Not that she would stop him.

His tongue snaked it's way to her pleasure spot making her moan in pleasure. His lips pulled into a smile against her mound proud to know that he could elicit that kind of reaction out of her. She grabbed hold of his shoulders, fisting his shirt in her hands when he sped up his efforts. Her orgasm swept over her without warning and she hummed in delight. Paul drank everything she gave him before standing up. He slowly pulled his shirt over his head and Bella pulled hers off along with her bra. Her flesh felt heated already and she knew that the night was far from over.

Once he was undressed he gathered her in his arms and carried her into the room, shutting the door behind him with his foot. Bo scratched at the door but he didn't make any other noise. If he had Paul would have shot him. Paul turned down the bed before placing Bella down. He was on top of her before she could get situated. His mouth claimed hers in a battle for dominance that Bella would gladly let him win. Even though he told her that he loved her everyday it was nice for him to show it in different ways.

XXXX

Bella came home to find a note saying that dinner was in the microwave. Paul had to be out of the house by six so that he could meet Sam at the jobsite the next morning. They hadn't seen much of each other since she had started school that week. She was looking forward to the weekend so that they could have some alone time. If she had a night where she didn't have school than he was working late because the people they were working for had changed the finish date for the third time.

She knew that every couple faced challenges so she wasn't worried that they would be able to make it through the hard times. Neither of them were the type to give up when things got tough.

Once she was done eating she tiptoed into the bedroom to be greeted by Bo. She ruffled his fur and scratched behind his ears before stripping down to her bra and panties. She climed into bed gingerly, not wanting to wake Paul up. She rolled over onto her side and draped an arm over his stomach then placed her head on his chest. She was lulled to sleep by his slow, steady heartbeat. She couldn't think of a better ending to her crazy, hectic day.

Five thirty came too early and the both of them were woken up by the alarm clock. Bo sighed loudly from the floor as Paul scrubbed a hand over his face. Bella propped herself up on a elbow before raking a hand through her hair.

"Go back to sleep," Paul said, his voice thick with sleep.

"This will be the only time I get to spend with you today," she said with a sigh.

"Bella, go back to sleep," he said flatly.

"Give me a kiss," she said with a sigh.

"Is that they way you ask for something?" he teased.

"Give me a kiss, now," she demanded.

"Much better," he said with a dry chuckle.

He leaned over her, slipping a hand beneath the sheet to pull her closer to him. He kissed her gently then pulled away. She fell back against the pillows with a satisfied smile. His fingers brushed her cheek before getting out of bed. Bella was asleep before he got into the shower.

He had plans for Bella that weekend that called for them to be left alone. He would spread the word and if anyone bothered them there would be hell to pay.


End file.
